Angels Fall
by scarlett2112
Summary: Having spent much of his childhood with the Gilberts, Damon's world is changed drastically when his mom reclaims custody of him. When they lose touch, Elena never forgets the young boy who captured a big piece of her heart. How will they cope when unexpected circumstances bring them back together?
1. Chapter 1

_Welcome to 'Angels Fall'._

 ** _I will caution you that no more of this will post till I have it written in its entirety. I have two, maybe three chapters left to write. I just couldn't wait to share it with you all._**

 _See you at the bottom_

 _Chapter 1: Seasons in the Sun_

* * *

 _When angels fall with broken wings_

 _I can't give up, I can't give in_

 _When all is lost and daylight ends_

 _I'll carry you and we will live forever, for ever_

I'm playing with my dolls on the floor in my room, looking up only when I hear my bedroom door start to open. When my mom and dad walk into my room and take a seat on the bed, I set my barbie down then walk over to stand between my daddy's legs. He pulls me onto his lap and gives me a kiss on the top of my head. Once I hear mommy's voice, I raise my eyes to look at her.

"Elena, daddy and I need to talk to you about something."

"Did I do something wrong?"

"Oh no sweetheart," daddy reassures me, giving me a light squeeze.

"Mommy's friend can't take care of her little boy right now so he is going to come and live with us. His name is Damon and he's a very sweet little boy."

"Why can't his mommy take care of him?"

"Damon's daddy was a soldier. He was killed in the war. He was my actually my best friend and that's how mommy got to know his mother. She can't give him a good home right now so daddy and mommy told her that he could live with us. What do you think about that?"

"Daddy, will he play with me?"

"I'm sure he will. He's a very nice little boy," Momma says, squeezing my hand gently.

"When is he going to get here?"

"Tomorrow."

"Where is he going to sleep?"

"Daddy and I are going to get the guest bedroom ready for him. We're going to get him some new bedding, some toys and clothes. Do you want to go shopping with us to get him some things? We want to make him feel welcome."

"Yay! Can I pick something for him?"

"Sure, you pick up your dollies and then we'll go." As soon as I jump off of daddy's lap, I pick up my Barbie dolls and put them away. Once I get downstairs, the three of us leave to go to the store.

* * *

"Come on in, Ellie," my mom says to whoever is at the door before stepping aside to let them in. I watch as a sad looking lady, holding a little boy's hand walks into our house. Mommy stoops down to say hi to the little boy.

"Hello Damon. I'm so glad to meet you. My name is Miranda and this is my husband Gray." He's clinging to and hiding behind his mommy's leg. He looks real scared.

"Sweetheart, you don't have to be scared," mom reassures him. The lady loosens his fingers from her leg before she stoops down too. She gives him a big hug and whispers something in his ear. When I see daddy gesturing for me to come over to him, I suck my lower lip between my teeth but I do as he asks. He bends down to introduce us to each other. The little boy has dark messy hair and pretty blue eyes but he looks like he's afraid of his own shadow.

"Damon, this is my little girl. Her name is Elena and she's six. How old are you?" Daddy smiles when he holds up five fingers.

"Ellie, do you have the guardianship papers? We'll need them if he would ever get sick, we'll need to be able to give the doctors permission to treat him."

"Yes, Gray. They're right here," she whispers, pulling an envelope out of her purse and handing it to him. Daddy gives it to mom before extending his arms to the little boy. When his mom nudges him forward with her hand, he raises his arms and daddy picks him up with one hand while reaching for his suitcase with the other.

"Come Elena, let's show Damon his new bedroom," I run up the stairs and open the door for the two of them. Damon's mommy is crying by the time we get back downstairs. Mommy is giving her a hug and telling her that we'll take good care of her little boy. Seeing his mommy cry, Damon runs over to her. Clinging to her legs, he starts crying when daddy tries to take him in his arms again.

"How would you like to go to the park?" Damon sniffs a little bit and looks up at his mommy. When she tells him it's okay, daddy helps me put my jacket on and then takes my hand. After Damon's mommy gives him a big hug and a kiss and tells him to be a good boy, the three of us go bye, bye, not realizing that we wouldn't be seeing Damon's mommy again for a very long time.

* * *

"Happy Birthday dear Damon, happy birthday to you." Mommy sets the birthday cake in front of him so daddy can light the candles. He takes a big breath and blows all six of them out. Damon has been with us a whole year already. He's my best friend. Mommy's belly is getting big cause I'm going to get a new baby brother. Damon is a little scared that we're going to make him go away when the new baby comes. When I told daddy about him being scared, he took Damon aside and told him that he's just as much a part of our family as the new baby will be. Damon gave my daddy a big hug.

After we finish eating cake and ice cream and we get our hands and face washed, Damon gets to open his presents. Daddy and mommy got him a Tonka truck and some play cars. Mommy let me pick a couple of cartoon movies for us to watch. Once he's through opening his presents, mommy hands him a card telling him it's from his real mommy. When he opens it, six one dollar bills fall out.

"Wow, you're rich," I gush, running my finger over the crisp new bills.

"Will you buy me some candy, Damon?" I ask, my smile enough to show my missing front teeth.

"Can we get candy?" he asks, excitedly.

"Not tonight. You already had cake and ice cream. I'll take you to buy candy tomorrow if your rooms are cleaned. Okay?"

"Okay daddy," I squeal clapping along with Damon. After supper, me and Damon go into the living room to watch one of his cartoon movies and play with his new cars. When we finish playing and the movie is showing the end credits, I look at Damon who's sound asleep, spread out on the floor. I crawl over to him, whispering, 'I love you' in his ear, finishing just as daddy comes into the room. He picks him up and carries him to bed. Yawning, I follow along, kiss daddy and mommy goodnight then crawl under the covers and go to sleep, safe and warm in my bed.

* * *

The years went by and Damon continued to live with us and the two of us grew closer with each passing year. My little brother, Jeremy is six, I'm thirteen, and Damon just turned twelve. When I walk past my parents bedroom, I hear my mother sobbing, her voice coming in gasps, punctuated by sniffles. Worried, I raise my hand and knock on the door.

"Is something wrong?" I ask when I push their door ajar, peaking in.

"Elena, Damon's mother got married again. She's going to take custody of him again."

"What does that mean?" I ask, feeling really scared knowing it's bad.

"Damon is only a twelve. He's going to have to move away to live with her."

"No, no, no. He's part of our family now. She can't take him away," I blurt out, tears springing immediately from my eyes.

"Yes, honey she can. Damon is her son. If he was older, he could decide on his own but he's not."

"But daddy, I don't want him to go."

"Neither do we, Elena. Neither do we." Breaking down into ugly tears, my dad wraps me in his arms, holding me against his chest as I cry till no more tears come.

"Does he know yet?"

"No. We just found out today. Ellie is coming for him this weekend. We'll have to start packing his things."

"Please don't let her take him. Mom, please?"

"I wish it was that simple, Elena. But he's her son. We can't keep him."

"Then I'm going to run away with him," I protest, burying my face further into my dad's chest. After rubbing his hand down my back for a few more moments, he tells me it's time to go to bed. Nodding, I walk out of their room and down the hall to my own room. Seeing the light still on under Damon's door, I quietly turn the knob. Although his bedside lamp is still on, he's sound asleep. Tiptoeing over to the bedside, I just stand there, staring at him for a long time. Although I don't want to wake him, I just can't help myself. Using the backs of my fingers, I wispily run them up and down, stroking his cheek. When he stirs, I step back, grimacing in hopes that he won't wake up. I breath a sigh of relief when he doesn't. I give him one more wispy caress before sneaking out of his room and into my own.

After I get washed up, I slip under the covers, clutching the teddy bear he gave me tightly. Not wanting to begin to imagine a life without him in it, my tears flow anew and continue till I drift off into a restless sleep.

* * *

"Are you ready to go, Damon?" she asks, standing in the doorway. Damon is trying to be so strong but I can see the sadness in his eyes. He doesn't want to leave either. I watch as he swallows thickly barely nodding at her. His mom is going to have another baby. After he sets his suitcase down, he walks over to my dad and wraps his arms around his middle, squeezing tightly. I can't stop my tears when he tells my dad how much he loves him, saying thank you for taking him into our home and making him feel so loved. I don't miss how dad sneaks a little money in his hand, whispering that he should buy himself something special with it. Damon tries to protest but dad refuses to take it back.

Once dad releases him, he says goodbye to Jeremy and then my mom, wrapping his arms around her too, both of them crying.

"Sweetie, if it's okay with your mom, maybe you can come back and spend next summer with us? I love you so much, Damon."

"I love you too," he blubbers, reaching up to wipe his eyes.

"Damon, we need to get going. Your father is waiting for us." He looks at her, nodding although his tears don't abate. Finally he walks over to me. The two of us wrap our arms around each other, holding on like we're the last survivors of the Titanic, clinging to the piece of wood as it floats in the cold north Atlantic. I feel him press a kiss to my cheek and whisper that he loves me in my ear. I pull back slightly to look him in the eyes. This time it's me who mouths, "I love you" so only he can see what I'm saying.

Sighing heavily, he gives me on last long look before turning his back to me and walking to his mom who's waiting in the doorway. He picks up his suitcase and follows her outside. I watch as he stuffs his suitcase in the trunk. Once more our eyes meet. Some unknown force pulls me to him, I run out of the house and into his arms, kissing his cheeks and hugging him one last time. I don't know how much time passes, both us refusing to let go, both of us quivering under the weight of so much sadness. We hold each other, hanging on for dear life till his mother tells him they need to leave. Wiping his eyes, he slides into the passenger seat of the car. When she pulls away from the curb, Damon quickly rolls down the window, waving animatedly till the car disappears around the corner, taking a piece of me with him.

* * *

 _Thank you so much Eva. I would never be here in this place, writing stories if not for your love and invaluable assistance. I would be lost without you._

 _Thank you Kate for another brilliant cover image._

 _Lisa, I hope you like this story._

 _Lyrics: 'Angels Fall' by Breaking Benjamin_

 _Anxious to hear your thoughts on this. Please remember to click that * **Review** * button._

 _I have updated 'Tears in Heaven' and 'Rainy Days and Mondays'. Please give those a look too._

 _Chapter title: 'Seasons in the Sun' by Terry Jacks._

 _I'll see you at the bottom of chapter 2._


	2. Don't Speak

Thirteen years into the future:

"Mom, we're here," I say aloud when Tyler and I step into my childhood home. I live in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina now. I graduated from law school just over a year ago. Although the money isn't that great, I really enjoy my job in the public defender's office. Tyler and I met in college and are newly engaged. After setting our bags down, I walk into the living room, my eyes falling on our family picture from years ago. Picking it up, I run my fingers over Damon's face. I still miss him and think about him often. After his wretched mother took him away from us, we lost touch. There were a couple of letters begging my parents to bring him home but soon afterwards, his letters stopped coming. I don't know if his mother wouldn't let him write anymore or if he grew disenchanted because as much as he did belong with us, we couldn't legally bring him back home. My dad went so far as to talk to an attorney but there was just nothing we could do.

 _"Can we ride on the Ferris wheel?" Damon asks mom, his voice giddy and full of excitement._

 _"Of course, Damon. Come on, let's get in line." The three of us stand in line till it's finally our turn to get on. The carnie workers opens the gate and lets us in, making sure we're secure before moving onto the next cart. Mom is sitting between the two of us. When we get to the top, Damon looks over the side, his eyes wide and his mouth agape._

 _"We're way up high," he gushes._

 _"We are," mom agrees, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. We go round and round, disheartened when the ride comes to an end. Once we get off, momma takes us to get a funnel cake. As soon as we find a place to sit, we dig into the delicious confection. His face was full of powdered sugar by the time we get done but I've never seen him so happy as he was that day._

"Elena," my mother greets me, snapping me out of my reverie. She gives me a big hug yet smiles sadly when she sees the picture in my hands.

"It's his birthday today. I wish we knew what happened to him?" She reminisces about this day knowing that I feel the same way.

"I do too, mom." After touching his beautiful face one more time, I set the picture down, looking up when I hear my dad's voice.

"Sweetheart, it's good to see you."

"You too, dad."

"And how are you, Tyler? How's work?" dad asks, shaking Ty's hand.

"I'm good, Mr. Gilbert. It's good, sir. Since my dad is the mayor, he hired me to be one of the city attorneys. I really like it a lot plus I have banker's hours."

"That's good," dad utters, his eyes meeting mine. Suddenly my now nineteen year old brother, Jeremy bounds down the stairs and out of the door without bothering to say hi.

"Where is he going in such a rush?"

"He has a hot date."

"Where's Katherine?" My little sister is a fire cracker. She was a happy accident as my dad would say. Mom and dad really weren't that old when she was born it's just that I was nineteen and Jeremy was almost thirteen when she was born. She is seven now and I love her to death.

"She's upstairs playing in her room.

"I think I'll run upstairs and say hi, maybe play Barbie dolls with her for awhile? After pressing a kiss to Tyler's cheek, I walk up the stairs and down the hall, stepping inside when I get to her room.

"Elena," she blurts out, running into my arms. Smiling widely, I give her a big squeeze.

"Will you play dolls with me?"

"Of course. That's why I came upstairs." After joining her on the floor, she hands me one of her Barbie dolls. I change her clothes and mess with her hair, enjoying getting lost in the innocence of childhood for just a little while.

* * *

"Have you two set a date yet?" dad asks, putting a bite of food in his mouth.

"Not yet, dad. We're really not in any hurry."

"Do you have any idea about whether you want it in the spring or fall or maybe Christmas time?"

"Mom, I've been so busy at work. I really haven't had time to give it much thought."

"Well, when you decide, you need to let me know," she adds, taking a swallow from her water glass.

"We will." When we finish eating, I walk outside and take a seat on the porch swing, a book in my hand. Hearing voices, I look up, smiling when I see the kids next door jump out of their car. They must've just gotten home from the swim center because they're wearing bathing suits and are wrapped up in towels. Dropping my eyes back to my book, it doesn't take long for memories to fill my head.

' _But Elena, I'm scared," Damon says, his voice full of fear as he stares at the water._

 _"Please Damon. Daddy is standing right there, we won't let anything happen to you."_

 _"You promise?"_

 _"We promise, right daddy?"_

 _"I'll stand right here, Damon. I'll jump right in if you need help. You have my word," daddy says, stooping down so he can look into Damon's eyes._

 _"Okay, only if you promise?" Daddy nods affectionately, standing up when I take Damon's hand in mine._

 _"You jump, I jump," I say and then the two of us jump off the deck and into the lake. Once he got over his initial fears, he wanted to be in the water the whole of our vacation at the lake house._

Lost in thought, I startle slightly when I hear Katherine's voice.

"What cha doing?" She ambles over, taking the space beside me on the swing.

"I was just thinking about an old friend of mine."

"The boy in the pictures?"

"Yes, that's him. How did you know? Did mommy and daddy tell you about him?"

"Daddy told me that he used to live here before I was born."

"That's true. He was my best friend and I miss him sometimes."

"How come he went bye?"

"A bad lady came and took him away." I know I shouldn't talk that way about his mother but I'll never forgive her for taking him away from a stable home and a family that loved him dearly.

"How come daddy didn't stop the mean lady?"

"He and mom did try but they couldn't do it." A sad look crosses her face before she gets on her knees and gives me a kiss on the cheek.

"I love you, Elena."

"I love you too, Katherine. Do you want to go for a walk? It won't be dark for awhile yet, we can go to the park for a little while."

"Yay," she squeals, hopping off the swing and running into the house. Smiling, I get up and follow behind. Dad and Tyler are watching a baseball game. After telling them where we're going, mom joins Katherine and me. Each of us taking one of her hands, the three of us walk down the sidewalk, our arms swinging happily at our sides.

* * *

"Come on, Elena," Tyler whispers, his voice sounding frustrated.

"Tyler, I'm not having sex with you when my parents are just across the hall."

"They won't care, they know we're getting married."

"You can keep it in your pants for a weekend," I utter, frustrated myself because he's getting on my nerves.

"Fine," he huffs, making a big show of turning his back to me.

"Stop being so melodramatic." Shaking my head, I reach over and turn the light out. Even though Damon has been gone for thirteen years, I still feel his presence in the walls of this home. An hour later, I hear Tyler snoring so I quietly get out of bed and walk into my closet. Glancing around the closet door to make sure he's still sleeping, I carefully slide my dresser over. When I see it, I drop to my knees and run my fingers along the wood. Damon and I carved our names and the date in the hard wood floor. Afraid that mom and dad would have a cow, the two of us rearranged my dresser to cover up our work. He and I were thick as thieves, doing everything together. Very surreptitiously, I push the dresser back. Feeling sad, I pull my photo album from the top shelf before sitting back down on the floor to thumb through it. When I find the picture of us splashing around in the water at the lake house, I hold it against my heart, hoping that he has happy memories of his time with us. I wish I knew where he was and if he's happy now?

"Elena?"

"I'm in my closet, I'm coming back to bed in a couple of minutes."

"What are you doing in there?" he asks, sitting up in bed, staring at me sitting in the doorway of my closet.

"I was just looking at some old photo albums."

"Don't tell you're thinking of that guy again. Jesus H. Christ, Elena. He's gone and he's not coming back. For fuck's sake, you haven't seen him in years!"

"You're completely out of line and I refuse to discuss this with you." Standing up, I put the album back onto the shelf. I walk into the bathroom to pee before crawling back into bed, turning my back to him.

"I'm sorry, Elena. I just don't understand why you still care about someone you haven't seen or heard from in years." Rolling my eyes, I roll over in bed to face him.

"Look Tyler, I really don't want to talk about this with you." He looks at me, shaking his head before laying his head on the pillow and closing his eyes. I lay awake for quite some time before drifting to sleep, my head and heart full of my long lost first love.

* * *

"Jeremy, how are you?" I ask, looking through the crack in his door.

"Hey sis. Did you want something?"

"I just wanted to say hi. Tyler and I are going back to Myrtle Beach tomorrow and I've only seen you blur by as you run out of the door.

"I work and then I like to spend time with my girlfriend."

"What's her name and when do I get to meet her?"

"Her name is Rebekah. Maybe I'll bring her over the next time you come home?"

"I'd like that."

Raising an eyebrow, he glances at my hand and then my face. "Pretty ring." Rolling my eyes, I lean in so I can whisper in his ear.

"It's a little ostentatious for my taste but Tyler's family has been part of Myrtle Beach society for decades. It's a status thing for him." Jeremy just shakes his head.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" He takes that hand, lifting it up so he can give the ring a sharper inspection.

"I wouldn't have said yes if I didn't." I try to sound convincing to both Jeremy and myself. We sit in companionable silence for several minutes. I get up only when I hear Katherine yelling my name.

"I suppose I should see what she wants. Don't be so scarce Jer. Maybe you and Katherine could come down and spend a weekend with me sometime?"

"I'd like that a lot," he says, walking me to his bedroom door. I give him one last look before he pushes his door closed and I run down the stairs looking for my little sister.

* * *

"Hi mom," I greet her when I see her name on my cellphone screen.

"I just wanted to see if you got home safely."

"Obviously, but seriously mom, did you need anything else?"

"No, why?"

"My boss assigned me to a murder case so I need to get over to the jail and talk to my new client."

"Good luck, sweetheart. Bye now."

"Bye mom." After ending the call, I stick my phone in my purse. My mouth drops when I glance at the clock. It's later than I thought it was. Grabbing the file off the top of my desk, I slide it in my valise and run out of my office and down the stairwell. Fortunately the red lights cooperated because I didn't have to stop at too many. Breathing a sigh of relief that I'm not late, I lock my car doors and then walk inside the city jail. Blowing out a puff of air, I walk up to the help desk.

Seeing her name written on her badge, I greet Melissa. "Hi, I'm Elena Gilbert. I'm from the public defenders office. I'm here to see this gentleman," I explain, pulling the file from my briefcase and handing it to her.

"Have a seat. I'll call an officer to have him taken into an interrogation room."

"Thank you." After she nods at me, I take a seat. Nervous since this is my first murder case, I'm unconsciously bouncing my foot against the linoleum floor.

"Miss Gilbert?" When I look up, I see an officer gesturing for me to follow him. As soon as we reach the room, I suck in a deep breath to steel my nerves. After unlocking the door, the officer steps aside so I can walk in. My new client is sitting at the desk, one leg chained to the chair. As if spurred by some unknown force, we both raise our eyes. My knees weaken at the same time my eyes widen and my mouth drops. Shaking my head silently, I just stare. Unable to make my legs move forward, I stand still with my mouth still hanging open. It's him, I know it's him. Even though it's been thirteen years, I'd recognize his brilliant blue eyes anywhere.

"Damon?"

* * *

 _Again, I thank you Eva for everything. I don't know what I'd do without you. You're the absolutely best and I love you to pieces._

 _Thank you all too for supporting my stories. I'll continue to write DE as long as people are interested in reading about them._

 _Chapter title: 'Don't Speak' by No Doubt_

 _Again, I will not be posting anymore of this story till it's completely written. Hopefully in another week, possibly two, you'll get chapter 3._

 _Please remember to click that * **REVIEW** * button._

 _My Christmas stories are all complete now. I'm really proud of the 3 one-shots I wrote for this years A2A exchange on LJ. The links are in my profile if you're at all interested._

 _I hope you all have a wonderful day. I wish you nothing but happiness and success for 2016. Until next time._


	3. Ballast

**_HAPPY NEW YEAR. I FINISHED WRITING THIS STORY SO HERE WE ARE. I WISH YOU ALL JOY AND SUCCESS AS 2016 UNFOLDS._**

* * *

" _Damon?"_

"My God, Damon! Is it really you?" My brows furrow together as I scrutinize him. His hair is messy and he's disheveled-looking. He hasn't shaved because he has stubble covering his face and chin. Despite being in shock, I make one foot move in front of the other till I'm sitting across the table from him. Slowly he raises his eyes to mine, their brilliant blue hue now full of pain.

"Do I know you?" he asks, his expression emotionless. He's unable to mask it quickly enough because I swear I could see a hint of recognition in his eyes.

"Yes, yes, Damon. It's me, Elena. Elena Gilbert."

Looking stunned, he shakes his head slowly then drops his eyes.

"Why? How?"

"I'm the attorney assigned to your case."

"I don't want you here. Please leave."

"No, Damon, I won't leave. I know it's been a very long time since we've seen each other but I also know without a shadow of a doubt that you wouldn't kill anyone."

"How can you say that? You don't know anything about me anymore."

"Damon, talk to me. I'm not going to let you go to prison for something you didn't do."

"I DID do it. Now please leave, I'm going to plead guilty."

"No, you can't. Please tell me what happened?" Cautiously, I lay my hand on top of his, immediately feeling an unfamiliar spark of electricity pulsate within me. He pulls away quickly, almost looking as if I scalded him. Without looking at me, he yells for the guard, looking up only when the door clicks and the guard steps inside. Damon asks to be taken back to his cell. Standing up, the guard cuffs him again. When he turns to look at me, I see a fleeting glimpse of emotion in his eyes.

"You can push me away all you want but I won't budge, Damon. You haven't seen the last of me." Our eyes don't separate till the guard removes him. Feeling my heart hammering against my rib cage, I press my palm to my chest for a moment. Several seconds pass till I take a deep breath. Dropping my head into my hands, I struggle to fathom what's happened here this morning.

Now that I have found him again, there's no way that I'm going to let him push me away. Knowing that I need to go through his file with a fine tooth comb, I shakily stand up, put the file back in my briefcase and walk out of the room, knowing I have monumental task ahead of me if he's not going to cooperate.

* * *

After returning to my office, I open up the file, cringing when I see the crime scene photos. The victim was stabbed multiple times, his body lying in a puddle of blood. Blowing out a breath, I set them aside and start reading the police report. I swallow thickly when I read that the deceased was Damon's stepfather. Setting it down for a moment, I close my eyes and take a deep breath. Somehow I always knew that I'd see Damon again but I never expected it to be in the context of a murder case. Setting the file down for a moment, I sit back in my chair, throwing my head back. I have to admit that his overt hostility is tearing me apart on the inside. The Damon I met today is certainly not the Damon that I used to know. I can't help but wonder what life has done to him.

' _Please don't make me go away. I want to stay with you," he cries, his tear-filled eyes staring at my dad._

 _"Damon, we love you so much and we want you to stay. Believe me, I would give my right arm to keep you with us but your mom is demanding that you come home."_

 _"But I love you. I don't even know her."_

 _"I know that, son." Peering in through the crack in his doorway, I see my dad cry for the first time. Feeling my own eyes welling up with tears, I push the door open and walk in._

 _"Please daddy, I don't want Damon to go."_

 _"Baby girl, Mom and I don't want to do this. I did everything in my power to keep him here. The Judge ruled in favor of Mrs. Fell." Feeling my dad choke up with emotion, I give him a hug. He opens his arm and pulls Damon close too, the three of us embracing for what would be one of the last times._

"Elena?" Snapping out of my reverie when I hear my name, I look up to see my boss, Elijah Mikaelson, standing in the doorway.

"Did you see Mr. Salvatore?"

"I did. But he said he was going to plead guilty. The thing is, Elijah, I know Damon. He's not a murderer."

"You know him? Do you need me to reassign his case?"

"No, no. I want this case."

"How do you know him?"

"He grew up in my family. He lived with us from the time he was five until he was twelve."

"Where were his parents?"

"His dad died a hero in Afghanistan, having won the Silver Star and the Purple Heart. He was a good friend of my dad's growing up. Both of Damon's parents were only children so he had no aunts and uncles nor grandparents who wanted to take on the responsibility of raising a child. I don't really even know why his mother gave up custody of him. I will say that our whole family, including Damon, were devastated when she showed up seven years later wanting him back. He wrote us a couple of times and then the letters just stopped."

"So you haven't seen him in a number of years?"

"No, we lost touch with him. I want to help him, Elijah."

"For now, I'll leave you on the case but if you need me to assign him a new attorney, you'll need to tell me."

"I will but I don't anticipate that."

"Alright, I'll let you get back to work." Nodding, I watch as he walks away then I turn my attention back to Damon's file. As I read through page after page, he has a record starting from the time he was a teenager.

 _'Damon Salvatore born December 19, 1990. Arrested March 31, 2006, age 16, assault against his stepfather, Logan Fell. Arrested January 2, 2007, again for petty theft. Arrested June 26, 2007 petty theft. Arrested November 22, 2007 again for petty theft... There are some other fights listed here and another altercation with the stepdad._

The list goes on and on. When I get to the notes written by his parole officer, I have to put it down for a moment because it's physically painful to read that he's been homeless since he was sixteen years old. My heart cracks a little more reading what had/has become of him in the ensuing years. Wiping away the beginnings of tears, I read on, noting that his parole officer is a man named Matt Donovan. Picking up my phone, I dial his office, hoping to speak with him.

"This is Officer Donovan, how can I help you?"

"Hello Officer Donovan. My name is Elena Gilbert. I am Damon Salvatore's court-appointed defense attorney. I was wondering if I could have a moment of your time. Perhaps we can meet for coffee?"

"Absolutely Miss Gilbert. I know Damon well. I want to believe that he's not guilty but he has a temper that's gotten him into trouble many times before. I've been his parole officer since his first run in with the law. He wasn't a bad kid then but life hasn't been kind to him."

"I don't want to believe that he killed anyone either but he says he's guilty. When can we meet?"

"My schedule is full today. Can we meet tomorrow at the little coffee shop on the corner of Reagan and Madison streets? It's a dive but their burgers and coffee are the best in town."

"That sounds perfect. We can talk over lunch?"

"Noon work for you?"

"Yes, thank you Officer Donovan."

"Your welcome. Goodbye Miss Gilbert." When I hear the click, I hang up the receiver, hoping to get some insight into the Damon that I used to know.

* * *

Elijah told me that Officer Donovan has blonde hair and blue eyes. Pushing the door of 'Sassy's' open, I look around till I see a gentleman in a dress shirt, tie and jeans who matches the description. Putting on foot in front of the other, I walk over to his booth. His head is down, newspaper laying on the table in front of him.

"Officer Donovan?" Raising his eyes, he smiles before starting to stand up.

"Please don't get up." Sliding into the seat opposite of him, I take a breath. He signals for the waitress to bring us some coffee and menus.

"Miss Gilbert, you're in for a treat. You'll never want to go anywhere else for a burger after you try one of these."

"Hi Officer Donovan, miss. I'm Vicky, I'm your waitress today. After filling our water glasses, she hands us a menu then leaves to give us a little time to look them over.

"Do you trust me?"

"I don't know you, Mr. Donovan, but yes, I think I can trust you." Just as I finish, Vicky is back to fill our cups with the pot of coffee she's holding.

"Have you decided or do you need a little more time?"

"We'll each have today's special with your homemade American fries and coleslaw."

"All right, I'll be back with your meals shortly. Do you want me to leave the pot?" she asks, holding out the coffee carafe.

Raising my eyes to hers, I nod. After setting the pot on our table she walks off to turn in our order.

"Now, Miss Gilbert, how can I help you?"

"It's Elena. And I wanted to talk to you about Damon. Other than admitting his guilt and telling me he didn't want my assistance, he was completely tight-lipped..,"

"Please call me Matt."

"I've known Damon since I was six years old. Although it's a fact that I haven't seen him in a very long time, I don't believe the boy I knew is anymore capable of murder than I am."

"I don't want to believe he killed anyone either. He's been homeless since he was sixteen at which time his mom and stepdad kicked him out. He does have a twelve year old little sister that he cares for deeply."

"Really? I vaguely remember his mom having a belly when she took Damon out of our home. I didn't know at that time whether she was pregnant or just pleasantly plump. Do you know why they kicked him out?"

"His stepfather, the decedent, was a monster to Damon. As long as Damon was in the home, he pretty much left the girl alone. One night he didn't and Damon fought him to protect her. Their drunken mother called the cops and Fell pressed charges. That's the first time I met Damon. The petty thefts are pretty much all related to him scavenging for food."

"Oh dear Lord," I utter, crumbling on the inside for what Damon has had to endure.

"What kind of a monster would try to touch a child?"

"I don't know, Elena. I wish I knew what made men and women like that tick? Damon's mother will be of no help. She has already told the police that she believes that Damon killed her husband. She wants him locked up for life." Visibly deflating, I drop my chin to my chest. I just breathe for a few moments before raising my eyes to his again.

"Will you help me?"

"Absolutely. I'll do whatever I can to help you clear him."

"Do you know any good private detectives that I could hire to help me piece this together?"

"As a matter of fact, I do. He's actually your bosses brother."

"Really? I didn't know that Elijah had a brother?" Just then Vicky is back, setting our plates of food in front of is. My eyes widen to the size of saucers because the burgers are that huge.

"Wow," I utter, still staring at it.

"Wait till you taste it! Go on, give it a try."

"Here goes nothing." Picking it up, I take a big bite, my taste buds immediately bursting in ecstasy.

"Oh my gosh, it's delicious," I mumble, covering my full mouth with my hand.

"Told ya," he laughs, taking a big bite himself. We finish our meal and continue to discuss Damon.

"Well Elena, I need to get back to my office. Here's Nick Mikaelson's phone number. He's very good at what he does."

"Thank you, Matt."

After writing my personal cell number on my card, I hand it to him.

"Please keep in touch. If Damon won't help himself, we have to be the ones to do it." Squeezing my hands, he nods then walks me to my car. I watch him jump on his motorcycle and disappear before turning on the ignition and driving back to my own office.

* * *

Having knocked on her door, I look around, feeling a chill at having to be in this rundown neighborhood. Matt is standing by my side, looking around and I for one am glad he's carrying his concealed weapon. Finally she opens the door.

"Mrs. Fell, my name is Elena Gilbert and this is Officer Donovan. Could you please spare us a few moments of your time? We'd like to speak to you about Damon."

It strikes me as odd that she shows no recognition of my name, not a raised eyebrow, not a breath hitch or anything else. And for that, I'm honestly grateful.

"What's there to say? The little bastard killed his father. I hope he spends the rest of his natural life in jail," she spits, taking a long drag of her cigarette. After blowing the smoke in our faces, she sighs.

"Ah, what the hell. Come in." She steps aside so we can walk into her rundown house. She has wood covering broken windows, ratty-looking furniture and several cats. After lighting up another cigarette, she turns to face us.

"What do you want to know?"

"I'm Damon's attorney. Why are you so insistent that he killed your husband?"

"Because he's hated him since I took him from...," she says, her voice trailing.

"But why now? Could there have been some extenuating circumstances, self defense, accidental, anything?"

"You'll have to ask him that," she sneers, blowing more cigarette smoke in my face.

"Do you mind, Mrs. Fell?" I ask, waving the smoke out of my face. After giving me a dirty look, she moves farther away from me. Hearing footsteps, I turn my attention away from her, my heart drops when I see the young girl. She looks malnourished, dirty and disheveled.

"Momma? Is it about Damon?"

"Go back to your room, Stefanie. These people were just leaving?" Ignoring the woman, I walk over to the girl.

"Hi Stefanie. I'm Damon's friend, Elena. I'm trying to help him."

"Will you tell him that I miss him?" she asks, her voice timid while her big, fearful looking eyes stare at her mothers.

"I will tell him." Matt walks over to the two of us, leaning forward, he whispers something in her ear. When she nods yes, he smiles. I don't miss how he slips some money into her fist, using his other finger to silence her so her mother doesn't find out.

"You two need to leave. That piece of excrement I'm unfortunate enough to have to call my son is guilty. So you may as well wash your hands of him too. That's what I did."

"Come on, Elena," Matt says, nudging me outside. I shudder when she slams the door closed. When we get to Matt's car, I turn around, saddened when I see Stefanie staring out at us from a gap in the window.

"We have to get that child out of that home, Matt. She's being mistreated."

"I agree."

"I'm going to talk to my parents. Maybe they'd be willing to be her foster parents? If we could get Damon exonerated, he could then take custody of her."

"That, Elena Gilbert is a fabulous idea. Let's go talk to social services." Nodding, I climb into the passenger seat, buckling my seatbelt just as he pulls onto the street. Laying my head against the window, I'm deep in thought, saddened that we had to leave that child with that wretched woman.

* * *

"Hi daddy."

"Hi sweetie. Did you want something that you're calling me at work?"

"I found him, daddy."

"Found who...? Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"Damon, he's here in Myrtle Beach."

"My God, have you talked to him?"

"He's in jail, dad. He stands accused of killing his stepfather."

"I don't believe that."

"Neither do I, dad but he says he did it."

"What? Why would he do that?"

"I don't know but I intend to find out. I'm his attorney. But that's beside the point. I need to ask you and mom a huge favor."

"What's that, sweetheart?"

"Damon's little sister is living in a horrific environment. She's unkempt, malnourished and disheveled. I was wondering if you and mom would consider being foster parents for her? After I free Damon, he can take custody of her."

"What is she twelve, thirteen by now? I remember Eleanor was pregnant when she took Damon."

"I'm not certain."

"I will talk to your mom okay? How is he?"

"Not good. Apparently he's been living on the streets since he was sixteen, stealing to survive. I wish he would've come to us, dad."

"Me too, baby girl, me too."

"I have to go, Tyler is at the door. Please talk to mom. Goodbye, dad." After hearing him say goodbye, I click off my phone. Suddenly I feel so tired but force myself to get up to answer the door anyway, stepping aside to let Tyler walk in once I pull it open.

"What's with you?" he asks, giving me a kiss.

"I had a long day, I'm tired so I'm going to take a nice hot bath and go to sleep."

"Oh come on, Elena. It's been nearly two weeks." Turning my back to him, I roll my eyes. Shaking my head, I'm livid by the time I turn around.

"I told you that I'm tired. And relationships are supposed to be about more than just sex yet that's all you ever seem to care about."

"I'm a man, Elena. I have needs. If you moved in with me like I asked you too, you could quit your job."

"I don't want to quit my job. I like it. And I have needs too and tonight that need is sleep." Walking back to the door, I pull it open, gesturing for him to leave.

"Fine, I'll go tonight but you and I are going to have a long talk about this relationship."

"Is that a threat?" Not answering, he glares at me angrily, takes ahold of the doorknob before slamming it shut behind him. Breathing a huge sigh of relief, I lock the door and walk into my bedroom. After stripping out of my clothes, I descend into the bubbles. Closing my eyes, I let my body relax but my mind is on fire, burning hot with everything Damon Salvatore.

* * *

 _Thank you, Eva. Love you very, very much._

 _Thank you to all of you for the follows and favorites and an extra special thank you to those who took those extra few seconds to write a few words._

 _Chapter title: 'Ballast' by Nothing More_

 _I did update ' **Rainy Days and Mondays** ' yesterday. ' **Tears in Heaven** ' will update tomorrow. Please give them a look. I don't often write canon so if you prefer that, my one-shot ' **Blue Christmas** ' is canon. I would very much love to hear your thoughts on it. My first 'more than one-chapter' story is also canon. It's called ' **There You'll Be** '. Links are in my profile._

 _Please remember to click the * **REVIEW*** button. They really helped me get over the rough patch I was going through. _

_I wish all of you nothing but safety, happiness and success in 2016. See you next week..._


	4. 18 and Life

Just as I get ready to go to work the next morning, I hear my phone start to ring. Digging it out of my purse, I smile when I see who it is.

"Hey Bonnie."

"Hello Elena. Say, I was thinking that maybe we could have lunch together. It's been awhile."

"I'd like that. Where and what time?"

"I'm hungry for a good cobb salad. Let just go across the street to Sharmella's. She has really good food."

"Yes, she does. I'll see you then. Bye now." After she tells me goodbye, I click off the phone and stuff it back in my bag. Taking a breath, I lock my door and pull it closed, knowing I have a lot of work to do on Damon's behalf today.

* * *

"Matt, this is Elena. I've been looking through Damon's file. His fingerprints were found on the murder weapon. I really don't want to believe that Damon is capable of murder, but there seems to be a lot of forensic evidence pointing to him. They also have the victims blood on some of Damon's clothing. If nothing else, I'm going to save him from the death penalty."

"Yeah, I talked to a detective buddy of mine. It sounds like the case against him is pretty cut and dried."

"I'm afraid so. I still want to talk to the private investigator. If we can find anything to exonerate him, I'll leave no stone unturned."

"And I will help you. I was going to ask you if you talked to your parents about Stefanie Fell yet?"

"I talked to my dad last night. He's supposed to talk to my mother and get back to me. I'd like to go to DSS with you. We can't let her get lost in the system, Matt."

"I agree. Why don't you give your folks a call, then get back in touch with me. After we get the okay from your folks, we'll drive over there."

"I'll do that right now. Thank you, Matt for all of your help."

"No worries. I also know a lady who gave Damon a place to stay when Fell kicked him out of their house. We could talk to her too."

"What's her name?"

"Caroline Forbes. She runs a little cafe downtown. There's a tiny apartment above the diner. She let him stay there in exchange for helping her out. You know, cooking, doing dishes, cleaning up, that type of thing. I think she felt sorry for him."

"We'll need to talk to her. Thanks so much, Matt. I'll call my parents and then I'll get back to you. Bye now." After he says goodbye, I hang up and turn my attention back to Damon's file.

* * *

"There you are," Bonnie says, jumping up to give me a hug.

"How are you?"

"Elijah assigned me to my first murder case so I've been swamped."

"Wow, that's big."

"Yeah and as it turns out, it's my childhood friend, Damon."

"Really? Oh my gosh, he's the one that you lost track of right?"

"Yeah, the very same."

"Elena, don't take this the wrong way but will you be able to keep a level head?"

"Bonnie, as much as I love you, I resent that implication. Of course, I can keep a level head. I am a professional and I would never compromise my ethics no matter who my client is." Raising her hands in surrender, she turns her attention to the menu.

"Okay then. Let's change topics. How are things with Tyler? Have you set a date yet?"

"The man has a one track mind. All he wants is sex, Bonnie. I mean, it's not like I don't like sex but he wants it all the time. He doesn't want to talk. And sometimes I wonder what the hell I'm getting myself into? So no, we haven't set a date and that's the farthest thing from my mind right now."

"I'm glad to hear that. If you're have these doubts now, perhaps you need to rethink your relationship?"

Unable to say anything, I reach for a menu, dropping my eyes to look at it.

"Do you love him?"

"Bonnie, please?"

"You do know that I'll have your back no matter what?"

"Thank you and yes, I do know that, Bonnie." Once the heavy stuff is out of the way, we spend the rest of the hour talking about girl stuff. After promising to give her a call in a couple of days, I tell her goodbye so I can give my folks a call before meeting Officer Donovan at the Department of Social Services. I really hope they'll be able to get Stefanie removed from that home. My parents would give her a safe place to stay and lots of love. And I have no doubt that Katherine will be over the moon to have another girl in the house. As soon as I reach my car, I climb in, get settled and dial their number.

"Hello?"

"Hi mom."

"Dad and I were expecting you to call. What can you tell us about this girl?"

"She's Damon's little sister. From what I'm told, he thinks the world of her. The girl is malnourished, unkempt and disheveled. She's not safe in that neighborhood and Damon's mother is a piece of work, let me tell you."

"Ellie?"

"If she recognized my last name, she didn't show it. She's dirty and their house is filthy. She gets plenty to eat but Stefanie needs help, mom. Would you and dad consider being foster parents?"

"Sweetheart, for Damon, we'll do this. Dad told me that he's in a lot of trouble. Will you be able to help him?"

"I hope so momma, I hope so. I need to hang up so I can meet Officer Donovan at DSS to see about removing Stefanie from that home. Thank you so much. I'm sure Damon will be happy to know she's safe too. I don't intend to say anything to him until she's safely with you and dad."

"That's probably a good idea. I'll let you go. Good luck."

"Thanks mom, bye now." Blowing out a breath of air, I stick the phone in my bag, buckle my seatbelt and pull onto the road to drive to the social services office.

* * *

After making our case to the officials at DSS, they opened up an investigation, even speaking to my parents via a conference call. They explained how they raised Damon for seven years and that my younger brother and sister are still in the home so she'll have 'siblings' of sorts. They are going to go to visit my parents and check out our home to see if they pass muster. I have no doubt that they will though.

"I really hope it doesn't take to long to get her out of that home," I mention to Matt as we walk side by side to my car. After telling me to follow him to Caroline Forbe's restaurant, he gets in his car, waits for me to pull in behind him and then drives off. Fortunately he gave me the street address since I lost him when I get stuck at a red light. By the time I pull into the parking lot, he's leaning against his car waiting for me. Shaking my head, I quickly park my car.

"I got caught at a red light."

"I saw that. Myrtle Beach isn't all that big though, I figured you'd find your way here eventually."

"You're lucky I like you."

"Well Miss Gilbert, I'm flattered," he jokes, bowing to me as if I'm royalty.

"Oh stop it. Let's go talk to Mrs. Forbes."

"After you," he says, holding out his arm. I lead the way with Matt pulling open the door of the restaurant, allowing me to walk in first. I look around then follow Matt to a table. It takes a little time but finally a pretty blonde haired lady walks up to us with menus.

"Hello, Matt, it's been awhile. How are you?"

"I'm good, Caroline. How is Enzo? I think about him often. Oh and this is my friend, Elena Gilbert. She's is Damon's defense attorney." Without giving me a moment to get a word in edgewise, he continues.

"Caroline's husband, Enzo, is a marine. He's in Afghanistan right now. He should be home soon though right, Caroline?"

"Yes, he's scheduled to be home in a couple of months. I can hardly wait." After giving Matt a huge smile, she turns her attention to me.

"Hello Miss Gilbert, it's nice to meet you," she says, offering her hand.

"Please tell Damon that I'm thinking about him."

"I will, Mrs. Forbes. Can you give us a few minutes? I'd like to ask you some questions about him."

"Sure, I'll just tell April that I'm going to take a break."

"She seems like a nice person."

"That she is, Elena. She's been good to Damon." Just as I'm about to reply to him, Caroline walks back to our booth, taking a seat beside Matt.

"How can I help you, Miss Gilbert?"

"Damon has confessed to the murder. I've known him since I was six years old. Although we lost touch after his mother took him out of our home, I just have a hard time believing that the sweet little boy that I used to know is a killer."

"How long did he live with you?"

"He lived with my family for seven years and then one day his mother showed up and took him away."

"I've known Damon since he was sixteen. He stole my purse but by the grace of God, I caught up with him. It broke my heart that a sixteen year old was homeless. I told him that if he would go to school and help out here at the restaurant that he could stay in the little studio apartment upstairs. Enzo and I were there when he graduated from high school. Damon loves his little sister dearly. That monster of a stepfather of his would touch Stefanie inappropriately. Damon ended up in jail before for going after him. That woman always vouched for her husband, telling the police that Damon was making up stories to get attention."

I'm too stunned to say anything but my gut is twisting on the inside. I look at Matt and then at Caroline.

"Um, do you believe that he could kill the man?"

"I do. If he was going after Stefanie again, I have no doubt that Damon would've gone after him. He came here before the police arrested him, telling me that he killed Logan 'Scum' Fell. That's what Damon called him anyway. He asked me to keep an eye on Stefanie as the police were leading him away. I have tried but that awful woman wouldn't let me speak to her."

"She is a gem isn't she?" I utter sarcastically.

"Listen, Miss Gilbert...,"

"Please call me Elena," I interrupt.

"Elena, if there's anything I can do to help him, I will. Please believe that. I do care about Damon, a lot actually. Please keep in touch."

"I will Caroline. Thank you. Would you be a character witness if need be?"

"Absolutely." Smiling, I place my hand over hers, giving it a squeeze. Knowing that I want to go to the jail to talk to Damon again, Matt and I tell her goodbye and walk outside to the parking lot.

"Do you want to come downtown with me?" I ask him.

"Actually, I would like to see Damon. Have you given Nick a call yet?"

"No, I haven't had time."

"No time like the present," he utters, pressing the contact list in his phone, pushing the icon that says Nick. Hearing it ring, he puts it on speaker phone.

"Mikaelson Investigations, how can I help you?"

"Anna, hi. This is Matt Donovan. Would Nick be available?"

"Hello, Matt. Yes, he's in. I'm going to put you on hold for a moment." We hear the elevator music play as we wait for him to pick up the phone.

"Matt, how can I help you?"

"I have Elena Gilbert with me. She works for the public defenders office and she'd like to have a word with you."

"Sure, put her on."

"Mr. Mikaelson, I'm Elena Gilbert. Please call me Elena. I would like to hire you to hopefully help me exonerate my client."

"Really? Do tell."

"His name is Damon Salvatore."

"The Damon that allegedly killed his step father?"

"Yes, that's the one."

"Sounds like an open and shut case from what I've read in the newspaper. What makes you believe any differently?"

"I don't know. It's just a feeling I have. And if he is guilty, maybe I can get him life rather than death by lethal injection."

"I don't know Damon but I did know who Logan Fell was. The man was a dirt bag. I'd be glad to help with this case. Where would you like me to start?"

"Matt?"

"Damon is a good kid for the most part, Nick. Most of his juvenile record is related to petty theft because he was hungry. I want to believe he's innocent myself but I do believe he could do it if that dirt bag, your words, touched his sister again."

"I had heard he liked them young." Nick adds, disgust evident in his voice.

"I'll need to tell my parents if they're able to get custody of Stefanie. She'll probably need counseling." I share a look with Matt who nods his head. After giving Nick my number and how I want him to proceed, I tell Matt goodbye before going back to my office.

* * *

The next couple of weeks pass in somewhat of a blur. I have been very busy going through Damon's file repeatedly to see if I can find any inconsistencies. I have finally been able to corner the investigating officers who processed the crime scene. I'm going to be speaking with them the day after tomorrow. I was with my parents when the people from DSS spoke with them and looked over our home. They live a few miles from Myrtle Beach in Murrells Inlet. Due to the urgent nature of Stefanie's needs, they were approved quickly. Stefanie is being placed with my parents today.

From what I understand, Damon's mother put up quite a stink but when the authorities saw Stefanie and her living environment, they moved with lightning speed. The girl is malnourished and quite withdrawn. But given what we've heard about her father's penchant for touching her, that's certainly understandable. I did mention this to my parents so they would be able to revoke their invite if this isn't something they wanted to deal with. But thankfully I have the best parents on the planet. I think they took her in for me, for Stefanie and out of loyalty to Damon, knowing that they believe that they failed to keep him safe. It's not true, they did everything humanly possible at the time to keep Damon but the Judge overseeing their case didn't agree, awarding custody back to Eleanor Fell.

I have repeatedly reassured them that there was nothing we could have done. We did try to keep him, it just wasn't possible. We couldn't save Damon then but maybe we can save Stefanie now. I'm going to the jail this afternoon to let him know that she's safe. I do hope he'll talk to me today. He's gone as far as refusing to see me. But I'm pulling out the big guns today and will invoke Stefanie's name.

"Hey baby," I look up when I hear his voice. Tyler struts into my office like he's God's gift to women.

"Tyler, did you need something?" I ask, putting my things in my briefcase.

"Yeah, we've been on the outs a bit lately. I thought maybe I could take you out Friday night?" Starring at the ring on my finger for a moment, I turn to face him.

"I'd like that." He steps beside me, cupping my cheeks with his hands, kissing me soundly.

"What was that for?" I ask, pulling away to take a breath.

"I miss you."

"Tyler, please understand. I've been assigned my first murder case. I am going to be putting in a lot of long hours for some time to come."

"I don't like it but I'll try to cut you some slack. I really wish you'd consider moving in with me and quitting your job."

"We've been over that before. I didn't spend all that time and money to go to college and law school to sit at home and get fat and lazy."

"Alright. Listen, I have to go out of town for my dad for a couple of days. He's having me meet with a group about having their convention here in town. The good citizens of Myrtle Beach benefit when tourists spend their money here.

"Absolutely they do. Call me okay?"

"Need you even ask?" he teases, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

"Listen, I'll pick you up around seven on Friday evening." After I nod, he gives me one more kiss then leaves my office. Falling back into my chair, I drop my chin to my chest, thinking about Damon when I should be thinking about my fiancé.

* * *

Once I get to the jail, I tell the receptionist that I'm here to see my client. She calls an officer who escorts me to an interrogation room. I take a seat and wait for Damon to be brought in. I look up when the door opens. He looks so lost, his shoulders are slumped, his eyes lifeless as his ankle is chained to the chair so he can't escape. Although I rather doubt he would even try such a thing given that he's dead set on pleading guilty to capital murder.

"How are you, Damon? Do you need anything? Money, toiletries, anything?"

"Why are you here? I told you to leave me alone. I'm not the little boy who left your house that day. I haven't been him for a very long time," he whispers, dropping his eyes.

"I wanted to talk to you about Stefanie." Immediately he looks up, his eyes fearful.

"Stefanie? Is she okay, is she hurt?"

"No, Damon. DSS took her away from your mother. She's been placed with my parents. I'm going to see her next weekend."

"Why now? Did that woman hurt her?" His voice is anxiety laden as he speaks. I can see that he cares for his sister deeply.

"Your mother is unfit. Stefanie is underweight, frightened and unkempt. That woman wasn't taking care of her. She needs to be in a safe and loving environment. I know that you know that my parents will take excellent care of her."

"She has nightmares sometimes."

"My parents are aware."

"You can't believe everything she says. She lies sometimes." It strikes me as rather odd that he would say that but I let it drop for now.

"Will you please tell me what happened that night?"

"Elena, I..I hated the man so I killed him. That's all there is to it."

"Were there any extenuating circumstances? Was he touching her again?"

"How do you know about that?" he asks, standing up and pacing as far as his ankle chain will allow.

"I'm pretty resourceful when I need to be, Damon. If you won't cooperate, it may take me longer, but I will find out what happened that night one way or another."

"Just drop it, please. I'm guilty, I did it. I don't want to talk to you anymore," he utters, yelling for the guard to take him back to his cell.

Sighing heavily, I watch as the guard once again takes him away. Our eyes meet when he stops at the door, turning his head back to me. We stare for a few seconds till the guard nudges him forward, breaking the spell. Raking my hand through my hair, I take a deep breath, gather my things, get up and walk out, knowing there's a lot that he isn't telling me.

* * *

"Hi daddy. I just wanted to see how Stefanie is doing?" She has only been with my parents a few days but I wanted to check up on her for Damon.

"Right now, she and Katherine are watching a Disney movie. She's rather introverted but hopefully with some love and counseling, she'll open up a little. The poor child has nightmares."

"Oh daddy. I can't even begin to thank you for opening your home up to her."

"Elena, of course. Damon's real father was my best friend growing up. I don't have that connection with Stefanie but we're doing this for Damon as much as we are for her."

"I know. I saw him a couple of days ago. He seemed grateful yet frightened too that she would be staying with you and mom."

"Why would he be frightened?"

"I don't know daddy, but I do intend to find out. Have you had a chance to meet with a counselor yet?"

"Actually yes. She had her first appointment with Dr. Fleming yesterday. I'm really glad we were able to find a female counselor for her. She needs love and patience and a healthy environment. I think she's a little fearful of me but I'm a man."

"She'll learn to trust you, dad."

"I hope so, little girl, I really do."

"There's no doubt in my mind." I start to say when I hear the doorbell ring.

"I have to go, Tyler is at the door. Tell everybody I love them and I'll see you next weekend."

"Say hello to Tyler. Bye sweetheart." I put the phone down once he hangs then get up to let Tyler in. Once I grab my coat, we leave. He takes me to one of the beachfront restaurants, ordering surf and turf for both of us. It's a good thing that I do like seafood. After we're done eating, we walk along the beach, barefoot in the sand. I have to admit that it's been an enjoyable evening. However, I couldn't help but notice how our waitress was flirting with him. I even wrote on the bill that she should leave my boyfriend alone and find her own. Even though there are some doubts swimming in the back of my mind, right now in this moment, he is my betrothed.

Finally we get back to my apartment. Needing a release myself, I let him take me to bed. As soon as he falls asleep, I roll over and pull the sheets up to cover my nakedness. I stare at the moonlight shining through the slats in the blinds for a long time. With my eyelids getting heavy, I yawn deeply and close my eyes. But it's not Tyler who fills my dreams, it's the man with the sad yet stunning blue eyes.

* * *

 _Thank you Eva so much for everything. Fear not, Tyler's days are numbered..._

 _Thank you all for the reviews, follows and favorites. I really appreciate them more than you know._

 _chapter title: '18 and Life' by Skid Row_

 _'Tears in Heaven' and 'Rainy Days and Mondays' are still in progress. Please give them a look._

 _Please remember to click that *review* button. As much as I appreciate and am grateful that you're interested enough in the story to follow and favorite, it's the reviews that stir the muse so to speak._

 _As always, have a safe and wonderful day. We'll see you next time._


	5. By and Down

_When I hear a bunch of jeering, I run over to the crowd to see what's going on. I'm stunned when I see Damon fighting with Will. Not wanting Damon to get in trouble, I push my way through the crowd to get between them. It's then that I'm on the receiving end of one of Will's punches._

 _"You bastard," Damon yells, going after him again. I recover quickly, stepping in front of him._

 _As soon as he looks into my eyes, I open my mouth. "Damon, what's going on? Why are you fighting?" My friend Andy grabs Will, holding him back._

 _"He was saying bad things about you. I wasn't about to let him get away with it."_

 _"What kind of bad things?"_

 _"BAD. THINGS!"_

 _Tightening my lips together, I turn around and face Will._

 _"Are you too much of a coward to say it my face?" I ask, my hands fisting at my sides. When he rolls his eyes, I pull back and slap him hard enough to send his face flying.. Shaking off the sting, he reaches up to cup his cheek with his other hand._

 _"Cat got your tongue?" I taunt, my hands on my hips as I get right into his face._

 _"I said that you're a brat who likes to show your panties when you bend over."_

 _Taking a deep breath in through my nose, I reel around and smack him hard, this time with a closed fist sending him sprawling on the gravel. When he starts to right himself, Damon pops him in the jaw too, laying him out._

 _"Don't mess with us again," he says, shoving his finger in Will's chest. Turning to face Damon, I take his hand and the two of us walk away, satisfied that the bully won't pick on us again anytime soon._

Lurching upright in bed, I slam my palm to my chest, willing my heart to calm down. After taking several slow, deep breaths, I reach over to take a drink of water.

"You okay, babe?" Tyler asks, raising up on one elbow.

"I just had a dream."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, I'm going to go to the bathroom." Unwilling to say anymore, I reach for my robe at the foot of the bed. As soon as I cover myself, I walk into the bathroom. After splashing some cold water on my face, I lower the toilet lid and sit down. I haven't thought about that day in years. Dad grounded both of us for fighting but did admit that Will deserved it. Lost in thought, I don't get up till I hear Tyler calling for me. Sucking in a breath of air, I stand up, get a drink of water and go back to the bedroom.

"You sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine, Tyler. I just have a lot on my mind about this case."

"Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?"

"Positive. Goodnight," I whisper, turning over in bed, my thoughts once again full of everything Damon.

* * *

"Miss Gilbert?"

"Yes, I'm Elena Gilbert. How can I help you?"

"I'm Detective Saltzman and this is my partner, Detective Lexie Branson. How can we help you?"

"Yes, it's about the Salvatore case. I want to know everything."

"The police received a 9-11 call at approximately 12:45 am on the night of May 16th. The police had already done their initial walk through of the crime scene. Lexie and I were called in once the site was secured. The forensics team was working the scene by the time we got there. A forty five year old white male was found dead in dining room, face down in a puddle of his own blood. Shortly after the two of us arrived, we received word from the department that Mr. Salvatore had been arrested at Forbes diner and that he had confessed to the crime. His clothes had the victims blood on them. His fingerprints were on the murder weapon. The defendant's bloody fingerprints were also found the phone. It's pretty straight forward, Miss Gilbert."

"I keep asking people if there could've been any extenuating circumstances, self defense, protecting his sister, anything?"

"We do know that the decedent had a record. From speaking with his parole officer, we do know that Damon tried to report the deceased for abusing him but there was never any concrete proof. The mother always corroborated her husband's claim of being set up. They'd say that Damon was prone to making up stories to get attention," Detective Saltzman informs me.

"Was Damon ever examined for signs of physical and/or God-forbid sexual abuse?"

"Not that I've seen," Detective Branson adds, joining the conversation.

"Do you mind if I ask you what your gut instincts are?"

"Miss Gilbert, when I was a beat cop, I had a few run ins with Damon. He wasn't a bad kid then. But unfortunately sometimes things change and the person we thought we knew isn't there anymore. I don't believe the sixteen year old I used to know would kill anybody. But life hasn't been kind to him. I do believe that he could've killed Fell given the right circumstances. Damon said he saw his opportunity and so he killed him. There isn't much of a defense to be had when he's confessed to cold-blooded murder."

"How about you, Detective Branson, do you have any history with Damon or any insight to offer?"

"No, I've never heard of Damon Salvatore before this case. I'm sorry, I can't help you."

"Were his mother or sister in the home when the police arrived?"

"No, they weren't. The mother said the girl was at a friend's house overnight and that she was at a bar."

"Have you verified their alibies?"

"We do know that Mrs. Fell was at the bar earlier that day. Several people vouched for her. However the bartender told us she left right around six in the evening. Have you read the autopsy report?"

"Yes."

"Then you know that the time of death was estimated to be nine or ten in the evening. Mrs. Fell has no alibi for where she was at the time of death. As far as the child goes, she's been pretty tight lipped."

"Is Stefanie not cooperating?"

"She said she was with her friend, Caroline." When she says Caroline, immediately Mrs. Forbes comes to mind. I'll need to speak to her again.

"So have you spoken to this Caroline?"

"Yes, Mrs. Forbes said Damon brought his sister to her, claiming the mother was too drunk to watch her. She told us that Stefanie spent the night in Damon's little apartment above the restaurant," Detective Branson explains, confirming the identity of Caroline.

"What else did Mrs. Forbes say?" I ask, turning to look at Detective Saltzman.

"She admitted that Damon confessed to the murder." Taking a deep breath, I drop my eyes to my desktop for a moment. When I raise them again, I stand up to see them out of my office.

"Thank you for your time. I may want to speak with you again if I can ever get Damon to talk to me," I utter in frustration. Detective Saltzman takes my hand for a moment, his eyes boring into mine.

"Look, I'm not closing the book on this case yet. I intend to leave nothing to chance. If something comes up, I'll be in touch."

"Thank you. Before you go, take my card. Please if you find anything, call me." He nods before walking away. After pushing the door shut, I sink down to the floor, tears filling my eyes at the life Damon was forced into when that evil woman abruptly took him from our home.

* * *

"Hello Damon." I keep my eyes trained on him as I step in the interrogation room again.

"Why do you keep coming back?"

"I'm going to see Stefanie tomorrow. I thought that maybe you'd like me to give her a message." I don't miss how his eyes light up momentarily before he drops his chin to his chest again, obscuring them from my view. Deciding what the hell, I reach over, laying my fingers on top of his hand. Crackles and pops surge up my arm causing a shiver to rocket through me. I think he feels it too because I hear his breath hitch.

"Damon, please talk to me. Do you want her to grow up without you?"

"I'm guilty, Elena."

He raises his eyes to mine and just as I feel myself start to get lost in them, he turns away.

"There's nothing more to be said," he adds, whispering the last part

"At least let me help keep you alive, Damon? How do you think she'll feel if you get the death penalty?"

"It doesn't matter as long as she's safe."

"God damn it, Damon. Stop this foolishness. If I have to, I'll bring her here so you can tell her that yourself."

"NO! Don't you dare bring her here. I don't want her to see me in chains."

"You'd rather her see you in a casket?" I snap right back at him.

"Elena... stop. Just tell her that I love her okay?" Knowing I'm not going to get anything more out of him today, I nod. Blowing out a breath, I stand up and knock on the door so the guard can let me out. Just before I walk out, I turn my head back to him.

"This is far from over, Damon. I do not give up." With that, I walk out.

* * *

After telling Tyler goodbye, I get in my car and drive to Murrells Inlet to spend a long weekend with my family. I park the car, grab my duffle bag and walk up the sidewalk. When I push the front door open, I call aloud to see if anyone is home.

"Daddy, Mom?"

"Hi sweetheart. Your mom and Katherine took Stefanie to her counselors appointment. Then they were going to go shopping to get her some summer clothes."

"I saw Damon before I left. He's adamant about his guilt. I just don't want to believe it, dad. And if he really did kill the man, something must've pushed him over the edge."

"I'm really hoping you can find that needle in the haystack."

"Me too, daddy, me too."

"You look kind of down, little girl. How would you like to go for a walk with your dear old dad?"

"Don't you have things to do this time of day?"

"That's one of the benefits of working from home. I can set my own hours."

"Tyler has been getting on my case to quit and be a stay at home wife. But I can't do that, dad. I worked too hard to get through college and law school to just throw in the towel to be the dutiful little wife, you know?"

"I do. You and I would have a few words if you quit your job already." Laughing, I give him a hug.

"Let me run upstairs and change into some more comfortable clothes and shoes then we can leave."

"Sure thing. I'll be in the kitchen finishing my cup of coffee." Nodding, I run up the stairs and into my old bedroom which is now Stefanie's room from what I see. Maybe I'll have to bunk with Katherine while I'm home. Once I finish changing and putting on my chucks, I run downstairs, finding my dad standing by the picture window, his back to me.

"I'm ready, daddy." Turning around, he smiles and joins me by the door. Pulling it closed behind us, we walk down the sidewalk till we get to the neighborhood park. While I take a seat on the bench, daddy walks over to the refreshment stand to get us each a slush. I still love those icy drinks.

"Here you go," daddy says, handing it to me.

"Thanks."

"Elena, I'd like to visit Damon. Do you think he would see me?"

"I don't know? I'll be seeing him again next week, perhaps you could drive over and go to the jail with me?"

"I'll do that. Maybe if we don't tell him that I'm there?"

"That's probably the way we'll have to play it." He gives me a nod and then the two of us just sit silently drinking our slushies. When my dad starts speaking, I take a breath and turn to face him.

"I see a friend of mine," he says pointing to his right.

"I'm just going to go over there to say hello. I'll be back shortly."

"Sure, dad." After giving my forearm a squeeze, he gets up and walks to where a man is standing on by the tennis courts. While my hands curl around my cup, I look up at the big Oak tree that's near this bench. Smiling, I soon get caught up in my memories.

 _"You can do it, Elena. I know you can."_

 _"But what if there are bugs crawling in the wood?"_

 _"You're not afraid of a few little bugs are you?" he taunts, raising an eyebrow at me._

 _"No, I'm not afraid." Pouting, I furrow my brows and cross my arms over my chest._

 _"Come on up then. I'll help you." He climbs down far enough to be able to take my hand. Sucking in a breath, I reach up and take ahold of his with one hand while reaching for the tree branch with the other. With a little maneuvering, I join him on the big sturdy branch. We're sitting there, smiling, and kicking our legs. Damon dares me to go a little higher. Me, not being one to back away from a challenge, does just that. But when Damon tries to climb higher, he slips, crashing to the ground below. An X ray and a cast on his arm later, we're sitting in the living room watching TV._

 _"I'm sorry that you broke your arm, Damon."_

 _"It's not your fault. I wanted to go up higher." I smile at him and slide over on the couch when he hands me a pen to sign his cast._

 _"Time for a pain pill, Damon," my mom says, interrupting us._

 _"I don't like to take pills."_

 _"I know sweetheart but it hurts doesn't it?" she asks, sitting down on the arm of the couch beside him._

 _"Yeah, it hurts."_

 _"Well, take the pill then," she prods. He does, after which, mom grabs a couple of pillows so he can elevate his arm. In no time he's sound asleep, the pain pill having taken effect. Dad shakes his head. With utmost care so as not to jostle his bad arm, dad lifts him into his arms and carries him upstairs. I run up after him and pull down the covers. After he's tucked in, I run my fingers along his cheek ever so lightly. I quickly drop a wisp of a kiss to that same cheek before tiptoeing out of his room, pulling the door closed behind me._

"Elena?"

"Daddy, did you have a nice visit with your friend?"

"I did but where were you?"

I just remembering that day Damon broke his arm. I kissed him that night you know."

"Did you now?" he laughs, giving my knee a squeeze.

"Are you ready to go home?" Nodding, he gets up, extends his hand to mine, pulling me to a standing position.

"Thanks." Linking my arm in his, the two of us walk home in companionable silence, my mind still hovering on my lost and lonely friend.

* * *

By the time we get home, mom and the girls have arrived.

"Elena, I knew you were home when I saw your car parked outside. How are you sweetheart?"

"I'm good, mom. How is everything?"

Using my eyes, I gesture to where Katherine and Stefanie are playing a game on the living room floor. Using her arm, she motions for me to follow her into the kitchen. When I see that she's baking cookies, I offer to help. Reaching into the silverware drawer, I grab a spoon, using it to scoop cookie dough onto the pans. Once I have two filled, I stick them in the oven. Mom is busy mixing another batch up.

"How is she?"

"She has nightmares, Elena. But given what we know about her living situation, it's certainly understandable."

"Yes, it is. Has she talked to you about what they're about?"

"Not yet, but she's only been with us a couple of weeks. We need to give her time to adjust and to learn that she can trust us."

"You're right." When she excuses herself to go to check on the girls, I take the cookies out of the oven. Finding a spatula in the utensil drawer, I slide them to the cooling rack before starting to make some more. When I stick a bite of raw dough in my mouth, again my mind drifts to a time, long ago.

 _"Can I have a bite of the cookie dough?" Damon asks, sneakily moving his hand closer to the bowl._

 _"No, mom says we'll get sick if we eat raw cookie dough."_

 _"But it's yummy. She let me taste it before."_

 _"Damon, they taste better once they're cooked."_

 _"I don't care. I want some. He flashes me with his eye thing as mom calls it, grabs the bowl with the cookie dough and takes off, running outside through the kitchen door._

 _"Damon, come back here," I yell, chasing after him. By the time I catch up to him, he has nearly the rest of it gone. He hands me the bowl so I can have the last dollop._

 _"Gee thanks," I mutter, clearly not amused._

 _"At least I saved you some." Rolling my eyes, I stick what's left in my mouth, savoring the yummy taste. When mom yells, we go back in the house, Damon hiding the cookie bowl behind his back. Not fooling my mother, she uses her index finger to summon us to her. Once we step closer, she spins her finger, indicating us to turn around. Shaking her head, she takes the bowl from Damon, giving him a little swat on the backside._

 _"You're both going to get a tummy ache. I hope you know that."_

 _"But it's good," he protests._

 _"I know that it is. Now go wash your hands so you can help me clean up this mess." I nod, take his hand and lead him upstairs to the bathroom so we can wash up, all the while keeping a smile on my face._

"Elena!" Katherine squeals, running into my arms.

"Hi Katherine." After giving her a hug, I turn to face Stefanie who's staring at us from the doorframe.

"Hi Stefanie. How are you?" I ask, walking over to her.

"I'm okay," she whispers, her voice timid and shy sounding.

"Sweetheart, my name is Elena. I saw Damon and he wanted me to tell you that he loves you very much."

"I miss him."

"I'm sure you do. Did my mom tell you that he used to live here with us?"

She nods, her ankles twisted together nervously.

"When we're done with the cookies, I can show you some of our photo albums with pictures of Damon when he was little. Would you like that?" She nods animatedly but doesn't say anything.

"Elena, honey. I can finish the cookies, why don't you take her to look at the photos? Katherine can help me, right?"

"Yes, mommy. I'll help you."

"Okay then. Come Stefanie."

Extending my hand towards hers, I let her decide whether she wants to take ahold of it or not. She looks from my face to my hand and back to my face again before slowly raising her hand to mine. Lacing our fingers together, I lead her out of the kitchen and into family room. After telling her to have a seat, I walk over to the book shelf and pull a couple of our photo albums down before taking a seat beside her. Opening up the pages, I point picture after picture of Damon, often pictures of Damon and I together. I'm hoping she'll learn to trust me if she sees that I care deeply for her brother. She raises her eyes to mine when she sees a picture of Damon and I laughing hysterically.

"He looks happy here. I haven't seen him happy very much."

"Oh sweetheart. Yes, I believe he was happy when he lived with us."

"How come he didn't stay here?"

"I wish I knew the answer to that, Stefanie." We spend the next hour or so looking at the pictures while I tell her stories that put the pictures in context for her. When mom calls us for supper, we all go into the dining room and eat. Jeremy is staying at a buddy's house this weekend so I probably won't see him. And since he's gone, I'm going to sleep in his bed rather than on the couch or share a bed with Katherine. After supper, we all gather in the living room to watch an old comedy movie. By the time it finishes, Katherine and Stefanie are both yawning widely. Mom tells them each to take a bath and then they need to go to sleep. I stay downstairs and visit with my dad for awhile.

Feeling tired myself, I tell my mom and dad goodnight before retiring myself. I quickly change into my pajamas, give Tyler a call and then crawl under the covers. I fall asleep rather quickly only to be awakened by screaming some hours later. Grabbing my bathrobe, I run into my old room, finding Stefanie tossing and turning, tears pouring from her eyes.

"Stefanie?" When she doesn't wake up, I sit down and touch her back, rubbing gently.

"Stefanie, wake up, sweetheart." It's then that her eyes fly open. Her eyes are wide and full of fear when she skitters away from me. It's as if she's afraid that I'm going to hurt her.

"Honey, you're safe. I'm not going to hurt you."

"Elena?"

"Yes, sweetie, It's me, Elena." I open my arms letting her decide if she wants me to hug her or not. Just as she slides over and into my embrace, my mom and dad appear in the doorway. They both give me a nod before going back to their room. I rock her in my arms for quite awhile till I hear her breathing even out. Carefully, I lay her back down and pull her covers over her. After turning on a dim light, I sneak out of her room, pulling the door closed behind me. Yawning myself, I walk back to Jeremy's room and climb into bed again. Closing my eyes, I fall into an uneven, restless sleep trying to imagine why anyone would hurt such a precious little girl.

* * *

I spent the rest of the weekend trying to build a rapport with Stefanie. I took both her and Katherine to the movies and then we went to the 'Chuck E Cheese' for pizza and arcade games. I had fun with the both of them. The next day at Katherine's behest, we went to the shopping mall again. I wanted to get a new pair of jeans and some new cosmetics. The lady at the makeup counter was very kind, taking the time to doll up both of the girls. Seeing the big smile on Stefanie's face was a treat indeed. But it's Monday and time to go back to the real world. When I finish packing my things and taking them out to the car, I go back inside to say goodbye to everyone. After promising that I'd come to visit again soon, I give Stefanie and Katherine both a big hug and each of them a five dollar bill to spend on something they like be it ice cream or something else. I give my mom a hug and then dad walks me outside to my car.

"I talked to your mom. When can I see him?"

"Do you want to come back with me? We can run by the jail when we get to town. I can bring you home later or you can spend the night with me at my apartment."

"I'll go with you. Give me a few minutes to run upstairs and grab a change of clothes. I'll be back in a few."

"Sure dad." I watch as he hurries into the house and up the stairs. I lean against the car while I wait for him. Katherine and Stefanie walk outside shortly after dad disappeared in the house.

"Are you two going to go spend your money already?" I ask, raising an eyebrow to tease them.

"Momma said we would take us to see the other movie," Katherine says, holding onto Stefanie's hand.

"There you girls are. Didn't I tell you not to run off without me?"

"I'm sorry momma."

"Um, I didn't know," Stefanie adds, cowering.

"Honey, it's okay. I just worry when I don't know where you kids are," mom reassures her, pulling her in for a hug.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes Stefanie. Let's go now," mom says, taking Katherine's hand. The three of them get in my parents car. I watch as mom makes sure their seatbelts are secure before jumping in the driver's side.

'Bye Elena, she says through the driver's side window before backing out of the driveway and taking off down the street. I turn to look at the house in time to see dad walk out, pull the door shut and making sure that it's locked. After which, he throws his duffle bag in the backseat and gets in. As soon as we get to my apartment, daddy carries our bags inside. Tyler calls as soon as I walk in the door. If I didn't know better, I'd guess he had a hidden camera watching my every move. I take a moment to use the bathroom and freshen up a little before rejoining my dad in the living room.

"Are you ready to go?"

"Yes, I am anxious to see him again. It's been a very long time."

"I know. But don't be shocked if he's tight lipped. He really hasn't said much to me yet."

"If nothing else, I'll tell him how his sister is." Nodding, I stand up, grab my purse and follow dad outside. I'm a bit frustrated by the time we get to the jail, having hit every stoplight on red on the way over here. Once inside, I walk up to the receptionist to tell her that I'm here to see my client. In minutes a guard escorts us into one of the rooms. I'm told that Damon is already waiting for me. Blowing out a puff of air, I push the door open and walk inside, my gut twisting a bit to see his head hung low, not making eye contact with anything but the table top.

"Damon?" My gut twists when he doesn't reply, effectively refusing to acknowledge my presence.

"Damon, I saw Stefanie this weekend. When I mention her name, he looks up, his eyes widening to plate sized when he sees who walks in behind me.

"What are you doing here?" His voice is high pitched and anxious sounding.

"I wanted to see you."

Dropping his eyes again, he practically begs us to leave him alone.

"I don't want you two here, please do as I ask and leave me be."

"You're not interested in your sister?" dad asks, taking a seat in front of him. He looks so defeated when he finally makes eye contact with dad again.

"Just tell her that I love her. That's all. Please promise me that you won't let my mother take her back. Please you must promise me this. I'm begging you."

"Damon, we'll do everything we can for her, just as we wanted to do for you. It broke my heart to have to let you go that day, son. We did everything in our power to keep you with us, please know that." I watch as his tough façade finally crumbles, his eyes beginning to glisten with tears.

"Guard!" he yells, wiping his face quickly with his forearm. As if by clockwork the guard comes in and escorts him out of the room.

"See dad, what did I tell you? I just wish he'd let me help him."

"I know, baby girl. But we did get a reaction out of him." Sighing, I stand up and walk alongside my dad till we get to my car. After we're both safely inside, I drive, my gut churning uneasily because I don't know if I can save him from the law or from himself...

* * *

 _Thank you so much Eva. Love you lots. I would be at a loss without you._

 _Also a huge thanks to all of you that took the time to review. I appreciate it so much._

 _Chapter title: 'By and Down' by A Perfect Circle._

 _I had comments about not enough Elena in RD &M. I have those same comments about Damon in this story. Please know that I do appreciate your concern. Part of the reason for that is because this story is in Elena's POV. The other part of it is because he's in jail right now. The whole story can't be set in an interrogation room. We'll watch as Elena works to try to free him. You'll see young Damon through flashbacks and I do consider that as Damon being included in the chapters too. I don't believe he's being short shrifted. And I hope as the story continues to unfold, you'll see that too._

 _Please give ' **Rainy Days and Mondays** ' and ' **Tears in Heaven** ' a look too._

 _I'm getting back into my groove with ' **Dig** '. Hopefully 'Indiana Salvatore' will be intriguing to some of you. My goal is to hopefully start to post by the end of the month or early February._

 _Please remember to click the * **REVIEW** * button. Let me know what you think of the story. It does a writer good..._

 _As always, stay safe and have a wonderful weekend. We'll talk to you next time. Bye now..._


	6. Renegade

Since daddy decided to spend the night with me at my apartment, we make time to stop at a grocery store so we can pick up the ingredients he needs to make his delicious meatballs. As soon as we get home, I retreat to my bedroom to change into something more comfortable before joining him in the kitchen. My mouth is already watering when I smell the hint of garlic he throws into the meat.

Once he has all ingredients together, I help him form the big and plump meatballs so he can fry them up. I grab the bag of potatoes and start to peel them so we can have mashed potatoes with our meal. Mash potatoes are the best comfort food there is and I need some of that tonight. Hoping to spend the evening with just my dad, I click ignore when I see Tyler's icon on my cellphone. I haven't told Tyler yet who my client is and I really don't want to because I know he'll berate Damon.

After I set the table, I help dad put the food out so the two of us can dig in. Licking my lips, I finally stick a bite of a meatball in my mouth, savoring the juicy flavors as I chew it up.

"Um, daddy, these are delicious."

"They were always his favorite too. I wish we could take him some."

"I do too. I don't know if they allow that or not but I'll find out."

"Do that." We eat the rest of our food in companionable silence. After we clean up and do the dishes, we settle onto the couch so we can visit although my mind is still resting with everything Damon.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"I'm sure you can guess where they are."

"Damon?"

"Yep. You see, daddy, I don't know how to help him if he won't cooperate?"

"He's broken, Elena. That was as plain as the nose on your face. Somehow, someway, we need to drill it into his thick skull that we care."

"I've tried to talk to him about Stefanie. How will she feel if he has to spend the rest of his life in prison or worse? I mean, surely he has to have thought of that?"

"I could see that it bothered him, Elena. But you said that he's been pretty damn good about wearing the mask till today."

"Yes, other than the impulse to run away from me, this is the first time I think we broke through his icy exterior a little bit."

You have talked to his mother right?"

"Yeah, remember I told you that she didn't seem to recognize my name when I introduced myself? She believes he's guilty and wants nothing to do with him. I hate her, daddy." Reaching over, he puts his hand atop mine, giving it a squeeze. Just as I'm about to say something, I hear the door slam.

"Tyler? What on earth is wrong that you barged in without knocking?"

"You haven't been answering my phone calls."

"I have company as you can see."

"Oh hello, Mr. Gilbert," he says to dad, shaking his hand.

"Elena and I were just talking about her client, Damon."

"Your client is Damon? That Damon that you're still hung up on?"

"Yes, Tyler. Damon Salvatore is my client and I resent that implication. I am not still hung up on him. How dare you insinuate that there was something unsavory between the two of us!?"

"Elena, calm down. I did no such thing."

"Yes, you did," I snap.

"Daddy?"

"I'm staying out of this one but Tyler, you will have me to answer to if you keep making these accusations." After giving Tyler a not so subtle 'back off' look, he excuses himself to go into my guest room.

"You have a history with this guy, I don't think you should be representing him."

"Tyler, enough. I don't want nor need your opinion on this. It's my job to defend him and I intend to do so."

"Not if I have anything to say about it. I intend to speak to my father about removing you from this case."

"You do and we're through." I add, seething on the inside.

"You can't be serious?"

"Oh.. but I am. Now, I think you should leave." I stare at him for several seconds before walking over to the door, pulling it open. Gesturing for him to leave with my arm, he drops his head, shaking it back and forth. Finally he nods then walks towards me.

"This isn't the last we'll be speaking about this." I don't miss the glare on his face as he walks towards the door. On his way out of the door when he leans over and tries to kiss me, I turn my head away so he ends up kissing my cheek.

"Goodnight, Elena." he snaps, walking off with a swift pace. Shuddering as anger is surging through my body, I slam the door shut. I'm so mad I could spit so I go into the kitchen, grab my bottle of bourbon and pour myself a shot. After throwing it back, I turn around when I hear footsteps, relieved that it's my dad.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm furious with him, dad. He has no right to threaten to have his high and mighty father remove me from this case."

"He did that?"

"He most certainly did."

"Elena, I don't want to interfere in your love life but if he's this possessive already...?"

"I know daddy, I'm beginning to have doubts myself. But I do know one thing, if he follows through on his threat, he is getting this ring back in short order."

"You know that your mom and I will support you no matter what you decide." Exhaling a breath, I walk into his outstretched arms, finally able to relax in his loving arms.

* * *

When I step into my office the next day, I'm immediately asked to go to speak to Elijah.

"Hello Elijah, what can I do for you?"

"Elena, I'm curious about the Salvatore case. Have you found out anything?"

"I know he's dead set on pleading guilty. Everyone I've talked to seems to believe that given the right circumstances, he could've killed Mr. Fell. However, I'm hoping to find some extenuating circumstance, anything that could place a hint of doubt in the Judge's mind. If nothing else, I want to save him from the death penalty. I'll need to speak to the DA to see if he's going to charge him with murder one or murder in the second degree. I just haven't had the opportunity to talk to him yet. His arraignment is coming up next week."

"I should tell you that the mayor called me about your representation of this client."

"Son of a bitch, I'm going to murder, Tyler." I blurt out, forgetting who I'm talking to.

"Elena, are you sure you can give Mr. Salvatore proper counsel given your history with him?"

"Yes, Elijah, I can. If you remove me from this case, I'll be forced to resign. I will not allow my so-called fiancé or his father to decide who I can and who I cannot represent."

"I told Mayor Lockwood that I would not remove you from this case unless you asked me to."

"Thank you, Elijah. I appreciate your support. Is there anything else?"

"No, just keep me informed." Nodding, I get up and walk to the door, turning back after I pull it open.

"Thank you for trusting me." When I see his subtle nod, I step out, pulling the door shut behind me.

* * *

Too furious to confront Tyler now, I just go back to my office and make an appointment with the DA. After collecting my things, I leave my office to go to speak to him.

"Hello Mr. Williams, my name is Elena Gilbert. I'm here to see you about the Salvatore case." After shaking my hand, he gestures for me to have a seat.

"It's nice to meet you, Miss Gilbert."

"Please call me Elena. And it's nice to finally meet you too. So I need to know what you're going to charge my client with. His arraignment is coming up next week."

"I intend to charge him with murder in the first degree."

"So, Mr. Williams, you obviously believe that this was a pre-meditated act?"

"It's Brady and yes, I believe Mr. Salvatore went to that house intending to kill his stepfather."

"Why do you think that? I mean, Damon couldn't have known that Fell was alone in the house when he went over there."

"Because I've read through his police file and I've also read the detectives reports. I think he wanted Fell dead and whether it was that night or another night, he intended to kill the man. Maybe he went that night to see his sister but I believe that he saw an opportunity and seized upon it."

"That's not pre-meditated murder. Even if he did want Fell dead, a decision in the spur of the moment isn't pre-meditated. You know that. And then there's the fact that his sister wasn't in the house at the time."

"He wanted the man dead, Elena. We don't know if Mr. Salvatore knew that or not. He's not talking other than to say he's guilty."

You've got that right," I add, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. He gives me a knowing look before closing the file that's laying open on his desktop.

"If he's going to plead guilty anyway, Brady, why are you insistent on charging him with first degree murder? I mean, can't you at least take the death penalty off of the table?"

"Here's what I'll do. I'll go over his file again and then I'll decide which charges I'll be bringing against him."

"Thank you Brady. I'll be in touch." He walks me out of his office, his eyes noticeably on my diamond-clad ring finger. When I clear my throat, he looks at me again.

"Yes, I'll see you in court." After that, he says a few words to his secretary before going back into his office, pushing the door shut.

* * *

I've been too angry for the last couple of days to confront Tyler. I told him I needed space after he went to his hoity-toity father, the mayor, to try to influence my boss to remove me from this case. I'm still livid about it actually. Pulling into the parking lot of Caroline's diner, I notice Matt's car is already here. Grabbing my bag, I lock my car door and walk inside. Hearing my name, I smile when I see Matt waving to me.

"Hi Matt. How are you?"

"Good. Yourself?"

"Could be better. I talked to the DA a few days ago. He's talking about charging Damon with first degree murder."

"I was hoping he wouldn't do that."

"Me too. If he goes for second degree, that will take the death penalty off of the table. He admits that Fell was a target of opportunity which doesn't constitute first degree murder. I really hope he doesn't go that route.

"That is perplexing."

"Well, he did agree to go over Damon's file again and that he would reconsider the charges."

"That's something, Elena."

"You're right, it isn't much but it is something. Say is he married by the way?"

"Who?"

"The DA. He gave me kind of weird vibes, starring at my engagement ring when I left his office."

"He's married. His wife is named Hayley."

"Okay. I just thought it was weird."

"Did you know that according to the detectives, Stefanie was here with Caroline the night of the murder? She didn't tell us that."

"No, she didn't." He raises fingers to his mouth, whistling when he sees Caroline. When she looks up, he uses his hand to wave her over to us.

"Elena, Matt. How can I help you today?" she asks, pouring each of us a cup of coffee.

"Do you have moment, Caroline?" Looking around the diner, she sees that the crowd is sparse so she nods and takes a seat beside Matt in the booth.

"I learned from the detectives assigned to Damon's case that Stefanie was with you the night of the murder? You didn't say anything the last time I talked to you."

"Yes, she was here. And honestly, I wasn't trying to hide anything, I have no reason to, it just slipped my mind." I don't miss the eyebrow that Matt raises when he looks at me.

"Are you sure, Caroline? Please, I just want to help Damon and he's not making it easy for me at all."

"She was beside herself when he brought her over that night. He left, saying he'd be back. When he did come back, he had blood on his clothing, claiming that he finally killed the bastard. That's all I know."

"So why was Stefanie beside herself, your words?"

"I don't know, Elena. She wouldn't talk to me but maybe that bastard touched her again? I just don't know." Taking a deep breath, I clutch my clammy hands together. When I raise my eyes to hers again, I tell her thank you and to please let me or Matt know if she remembers anything else. I stay and have lunch with Matt. After which, he walks me out to my car, opening the drivers side door for me.

"I'll be in touch, Elena."

"Thanks again, Matt. I appreciate everything you're doing to help me with this."

"I think I'm going to run over to the jail to see if I can talk to him for a few minutes. I know his body language pretty well by now. Maybe I can pick up on something?"

"That would be great. Bye now." He nods, pushing my door shut before walking over to his own car. After giving me a tight smile, he gets in his own car. Squeezing the steering wheel tightly, I sit there for a few moments before shifting in gear and driving away myself.

* * *

When I get back to my office, I have message waiting for me that Damon would like to speak to me. This is a first. Wondering what he wants to tell me, I gather my things and walk over to the jail. The public defender's office is located in the criminal justice building. Once the guard takes me to a room, I wait for Damon to join me. When he finally arrives, he still won't make eye contact with me. After the guard secures him to the chair, he gives us some privacy.

"I want to waive the arraignment."

"What?"

"I read that I can waive arraignment. I read that the defense counsel, that would be you, can facilitate this process by communicating with the prosecutor and the court and submitting a waiver of arraignment in writing. The page I read said that the attorneys can work out an agreement as to the conditions of release and submit it to the court with documents waiving arraignment. In other cases, the court allows the defendant to waive arraignment and schedules a separate hearing on conditions of release."

"Damon, no Judge is going to grant you bail. I can tell you that right now."

"But..?"

"There are no buts, you're going to have to be arraigned. Please, Damon, if you want to change your plea to guilty later on and as much as I would advise against it, it's your choice. But please don't plead guilty at the arraignment. Give me some time to get my case ready if for nothing else than to spare you life in prison. Certainly you want to see your sister grow up, Damon?"

He stares at me for quite sometime before finally nodding his consent. I breathe a sigh of relief because this is the first time he's being reasonable in my opinion.

"Thank you," I whisper, reaching over cautiously to pat his hand that's laying palm flush on the table top. My breath hitches just slightly when I feel the crackles and pops of electricity. I don't know what it is about this man?

"I'm going to call Stefanie tonight. Do you want me to tell her anything? She's doing really well, Damon. Mom and dad have her seeing a counselor. She's getting along great with my little sister." He then raises his eyes to mine causing me to acknowledge that he doesn't know anything about Katherine.

"She was born when I was nineteen. My parents as well as me and Jeremy were a bit stunned when mom got pregnant again but she's an absolute joy. I love her a lot."

"She's good with Stef?"

"She is. Although Stefanie is twelve and Katherine is only seven, they watch movies and do girl things together."

"Whatever happens, please don't let her go back to that woman."

"I'll do everything in my power to prevent that, Damon. I'm sure my parents would consider adoption if you aren't free to raise her."

"I'm tired, Elena. I'm going to go back to my cell. Just tell her that I love her, okay?"

"I'll do that," I assure him, squeezing his hand once more. Nodding he calls for the guard and is escorted away. Picking up my briefcase, I make my way back to my office, exhausted but relieved that's he's going to take my advice for a change.

* * *

I relax visibly when I finally get home. I take the time to change into some frumpy sweat pants and a tee shirt, after which I make myself something to eat. Sighing, I finally take a call from Tyler. I tell him in no uncertain terms that he needs to back off for the time being. Taking my food, I go into the living room, get comfortable on the couch and turn on TV.

' _Meet Me in St. Louis_ ' is playing on TCM so I click on it to watch. I'm a sucker for old movies. I love them. Finished with my supper, I set the dishes on the lamp table and then snuggle down on the couch to watch the movie. It doesn't take long for my eyes to fall shut.

 _"Elena, that's the scary house. I don't want to trick or treat there," Damon whispers, his eyes wide and fearful. Despite being dressed up as 'Batman', he's still a bit squeamish about knocking on Mrs. Gulch's door._

 _"Oh c'mon, Damon. Jeremy isn't scared. Why are you?"_

 _"Nope. Superman ain't afraid of nuthin." Jeremy squawks, puffing out his chest as if he's a bigshot. I have to laugh at his verbiage, mom would probably have kittens if she heard him say nothing that way._

 _"Please Damon, I'll be right beside you."_

 _"Okay, I'll knock on her door."_

 _The three of us slowly climb up the four steps that lead to her doorway. With a shaky hand, he raises his fist then raps on her door. The door opens at the same time the porch light comes on._

 _"Who's out there? What do you kids want?" When all three of us yell, 'trick or treat', she blows us away when she starts laughing hysterically. She grabs a bucket of candy that's sitting just inside her door and gives us each a handful. We all thank her profusely before walking down the sidewalk to the next house._

 _"See that wasn't so bad."_

 _"No, she was nice," Damon blurts out, smiling from ear to ear at the big haul of candy we each got from her. Just as he raises his hand to push the doorbell on the next house..."_

What? I startle awake when I hear my own doorbell. Wondering who it could be at this hour, I get up, yawning deeply as I walk to the door. Pulling it open, I gasp loudly.

"Tyler...?!"

* * *

 _Finally Damon cooperates just a little bit._

 _Thank you Eva for everything. Love you lots._

 _And I can't thank all of you enough either for your follows, favorites and especially the reviews. I really appreciate them more than you know. You guys are the best._

 _Chapter title: 'Renegade' by Styx_

 _I'll be posting the final chapter (tears) of ' **Rainy Days and Mondays** ' tomorrow. ' **Tears in Heaven** ' still has quite a bit of story left to tell._

 _I did break down and post the first chapter of ' **Dig** '. I would love to hear your thoughts on it. _

_Please remember to click that ' **Review** ' button. Much more to come in this story._

 _As always, have a safe and lovely day. Until next time._


	7. Disposable Heroes

_"Tyler?"_

"I asked you to give me some space. Why are you here?" I don't step aside when he tries to get into my apartment. I'm livid beyond words that he blew off my simple request for him to give me a little breathing room.

"Elena, I couldn't not see you."

"I'm furious with you. How dare you go over my head to have me taken off Damon's case? Just who in the hell do you think you are?"

"Come on, Elena. The guy is a loser, he killed his step-father."

"He allegedly killed his step-father. We're still supposed to have the presumption of innocence in this country or did you forget that?" I snap, so angry that I can literally feel myself shaking.

"Are you really going to make me stand out here in the hallway?"

"Yes, because you're not staying. Goodbye Tyler." Without giving him the chance to protest, somehow I manage to overpower him, slamming to the door in his face. As soon as it's shut, I quickly lock the door. For several minutes, I see the knob twisting, the sound of it causing me to grimace. When it stops, I breath a sigh of relief until he starts pounding on my door like a mad man all over again. Refusing to budge, my anger erupts, filling my veins with seething hot molten fire. He's acting like a caveman and I refuse to coddle to such juvenile behavior.

"If you don't leave now, I will call the police," I yell at him through the door. I hear him curse loudly and then the pounding ceases. Relieved, I sigh heavily before turning off the TV and going to bed. Once I put my pajamas on, I sit on the bedside. In a daze, I don't even realize I'm staring at my gaudy engagement ring. For some reason, it feels like a noose around my neck. Closing my eyes, I take it off and drop it in my bedside drawer.

I now know that I need to end things with him. I feel lighter already without that thing on my ring finger. What happens the next time I have a client that he finds unacceptable? Is he going to run to his father every time I refuse to bend to his demands? That's not the way I want to live my life. I have more respect for myself than that. It's my life and my career and I won't behave like some ' _Stepford wife_ ' who bends over, grabbing my ankles when my husband demands that I comply. The hell with that. Feeling better than I have for a long time, I crawl under the covers and close my eyes. As soon as my head hits the pillow I drift off to sleep, my thoughts only on _'him'_.

* * *

"Mr. Salvatore, you have been read your rights. Do you understand the charges that have been brought against you?"

"Yes, Your Honor," Damon replies, his demeanor stoic.

"And how do you plead?"

"Not guilty, Your Honor."

"Since you are a flight risk, Mr. Salvatore, you will be remanded back into custody. We'll meet again for pretrial motions in August. Court adjourned," the Judge announces, banging his gavel. We all stand when he gets up to exit the courtroom.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I give his upper arm a squeeze. When our eyes meet, I find myself totally lost in their depths of his unbelievably blue eyes. The moment broken only when the guards step over to handcuff Damon to take him back to the jail.

"Thank you, Damon. I'll come to see you soon to discuss our next course of action." He nods his acceptance, his eyes never leaving mine as he's led out of the courtroom.

* * *

"This is Officer Donovan, how can I help you?"

"Hi Matt. It's Elena. I was hoping you would be able to meet me at Nick Mikaelson's office?"

"What time?"

"I just got off the phone with him. He can meet us in an hour."

"Do you want me to come by your office so we can go over there together?"

"I'd like that. Thank you so much."

"No problem. I'll be there in about a half an hour."

"I'll be ready. Bye, Matt." Relaxing, I hang up my phone. I'm really hoping that Mr. Mikealson has found something for me to use in Damon's defense. Standing up, I walk out of my office to use the ladies room, running right into Tyler.

"What are you doing here?"

"You're not accepting my calls. You won't answer the door when I come to your apartment. You are my fiancé and you will treat me with the respect I deserve," he snaps, grabbing onto my upper arm, squeezing it sharply.

"Tyler, let go. You're hurting me."

"Do you understand that you will behave as I tell you to behave? No more of this independent bullshit. You are going to be my wife and as such you will act in a manner that I see fit. Do you understand?"

"What the hell! This isn't the nineteenth century. I do not have to behave according to your standards. I'm my own person and how dare you treat me like an object rather than a free born person!?"

"Elena, I swear..."

"You know what? We're through. You'll have the ring back forthwith."

Pushing me back into my office, he shoves me against the wall. Although he looks at me with utter contempt, he still slams his alcohol-laden mouth against my lips. Locking my lips, I try to push him away but he's too strong. Suddenly, I hear a crash and when I open my eyes, he's sprawled on the floor, blood leaking from his nose. I breath a huge sigh of relief when I look up to see Matt fisting his shirt with one hand, his other reeled back and ready to strike again.

"Matt," I pant, trying to catch my breath.

"Are you okay?" He stares at me for a moment after punching Tyler a second time when he started kicking at Matt's junk. Tyler is writhing on the floor like child who dropped his lollipop in the sand. Walking around him, I pick up my phone on my desk and demand for one of the police officers to come to my office to take my former fiancé away.

"I intend to press charges," I sneer, giving him a kick in groin for good measure.

"Miss Gilbert?" the officer asks when he hurries into my office.

"This man assaulted me. I want to press charges. Officer Donovan witnessed the assault."

"Up you go," the cop says, pulling Tyler to his feet. After handcuffing him, he leads him out of my office but not before Tyler threatens me again.

"This isn't over, Elena. Mark my words," his voice a lisp since he has a great big fat lip courtesy of Matt. Not wanting to give him the satisfaction of a response, I just stare at him till he's removed from the room.

* * *

Once Tyler is dispatched, Matt and I leave to go to speak with Mr. Mikaelson. We're shown into his office and told he would be joining us shortly. Apparently he's speaking with one of his junior partners about some other case. Picking up a ladies magazine, I start to thumb through it but when I realize that I'm looking at it upside down, I set it down.

"Are you okay?" Matt asks, concern visible in his features.

"I'm fine, just a little sore. He gave me quite shove. Wincing when I rub my hand over my upper arm, I push my sleeve up, not surprised when I see fingerprint shaped bruises forming.

"Elena, you have my home phone number. If Lockwood harasses you again, I want you to call me."

"Thank you so much, Matt. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew he was an entitled brat but I didn't think he'd get physically aggressive with me. I wish I could say that I'm shocked that he behaved that way but I'm really not. He's always been a bit of an ass but I convinced myself I loved him. But I was also lying to myself, thinking that I could tame the beast as it were. I don't even know what I saw in that bastard," I add, shaking my head, fully disgusted with myself.

"Matt, Miss Gilbert," Nick greets us when he joins us in his office.

"Hello Mr. Mikaelson."

"Please call me Nick. My father is Mr. Mikaelson," he jokes, pretending to be all staid and proper.

"Only if you call me Elena." He smiles at me as he sits down.

"Have you found anything on Damon or Logan Fell?"

"Logan Fell was a low life pervert. I can't imagine any woman taking up with the likes of him. Especially a woman with a child. He had a record for inappropriate touching long before he married Damon's mother. He'd been the beneficiary of too many pansy judges who more or less gave him a slap on the hand, allowing him to continue his reign of terror. As saddened as I am, I fully believe that Damon could've killed the bastard. Have you been able to read his juvenile record?"

"No, why?" I ask, looking at Matt confused. When I look at Nick again, he hands me a file.

"Matt, do you want to enlighten her?"

"Damon did complain of his stepfather assaulting him and making sexual innuendo many times. He also said that the bastard tried to touch him but he was stronger so Fell was never able to "cop a feel" as it were."

Feeling my stomach twist painfully, I drop my eyes for a few minutes. "Thank God for small favors."

"Indeed. He begged his mother for help, even going to the police on his own but as I told you, Eleanor always backed up Fell's contentions that Damon only wanted attention," Matt adds, his eyes staring into mine.

"Oh God," I whisper, sickened by what I'm hearing. I start to read through the flagged pages in his file. I'm sickened beyond words, even to the point of feeling nauseous when I read what a sick mother fucker Fell really was.

"I've talked to a lot of people, Elena, none of them can give Damon an airtight alibi," Nick adds, staring at me.

"What are we going to do? I did get him to plead innocent at his arraignment if for nothing else than to give me time to put a case together. He loves his sister, he doesn't want to be separated from her for the rest of his life. He's just not giving me anything to work with. I was really praying that you could help me, Nick."

"I'm not about to give up yet, Elena. I intend to find that needle in the haystack but you're going to have to barter for time."

"I don't know how to thank you, Nick. I maybe already told you but he lived with my family for seven long years. I'm a little older than him but not much. The Damon I knew would never have hurt a soul."

"I hate to say it, Elena but that was before the world did things to him," Matt remarks, giving my forearm a gentle pat.

"I know, you're right." Glancing at my watch, I realize that it's almost four in the afternoon.

"I'm sorry, Nick, but I really need to get going. I'm going home to Murrells Inlet for the weekend." The three of us stand up, Nick walking us out.

"Thank you so much." Offering him my hand, I shake it firmly.

"I'll be in touch, Elena. Try and have a nice weekend."

"You too." After giving us a nod, he walks back into his office, pushing the door closed once he's inside. Matt and I walk back to his car. Once he makes sure I'm safely seated in my own car, he takes off down the street without looking back.

* * *

"Where's the fire?" I ask Jeremy as he flies out of the house just as I pull open the door, nearly sending me sprawling.

"I have a hot date," he yells, jumping in his car, driving away before I can even take a breath.

"Is that you honey?" I hear my mom ask.

"Yeah, it's me."

"Elena!" Katherine yells, running pell-mell into me, nearly knocking me onto my backside.

"Woah," I laugh, wrapping her in my arms. When I look up, I see Stefanie peering around the corner, looking a little forlorn.

"Hi Stefanie."

"Hi..." Smiling at her, I step closer to where she's standing and wrap an arm gently around her shoulders.

"How are you? Do you like it here?"

"I like it a lot. Have you seen him?" she asks, her voice almost a whisper.

"Yes sweetie, I saw him a few days ago. He wants you to know that he loves you very much and that he thinks about you everyday.

"You know what? Why don't you stand right over there with Katherine so I can take a couple of pictures for him. I'll print them so I can give him a copy okay?" She doesn't say anything, she just nods excitedly.

"Come on, Steffie, stand by me," Katherine squeals, pulling her close. Katherine wraps her arms around her middle, giving her a hug. Stefanie looks tentative and a bit unnerved but she does make an effort to smile for me. I snap a couple of pictures of them, stopping only when my mom joins us in the entryway of the house.

"You couldn't have closed the door before you started taking pictures?" Mom laughs.

"It's Katherine's fault."

"Elena, now you're a grown woman, blaming a little girl," Mom scoffs, giving me a wink.

"Yeah Elena, it's not my fault."

"Katherine..., you knocked me on my butt."

"Did not." Before she can move a muscle, I pounce, tickling her till she tells mom the truth. In no time, we're both laying on the floor, laughing hysterically. Even Stefanie is laughing. Mom has an arm wrapped around her too and the girl looks at ease in mom's arms. I can't help but smile when I see how well she seems to be settling into her new home.

 _"Elena, that tickles," Damon squeaks, curling up in a ball, trying to get me to quit._

 _"It's fun," I laugh, rolling around on the floor with him. As I keep tickling his underarms, he starts squirming wildly, trying to get the upper hand. Finally having had enough, he jumps on top of me, using his little hands to start ticking my underarms. Then he plants himself on my belly, grabbing a leg to tease the sole of one foot and then the other. Laughing so hard, I can't breathe, I finally push him off of me. Although I'm panting for air, I can't stop laughing and neither can he._

 _When he comes at me again, I raise my index fingers to form a cross, signaling my surrender._

 _"I won, ha ha," he snickers, rubbing it in._

 _"You won," I admit. Standing up, I offer him my hand to help him stand up._

 _"Can we go play in the sandbox?" he asks my mom._

 _"Yes, but stay in the backyard. Supper will be ready soon."_

 _"Okay mama," I yell, pulling Damon out of the door with me._

* * *

I'm started awake when I hear screaming, I fly out of bed and run down the hall and into Stefanie's room. Daddy is already holding her close, gently rubbing her back, whispering over and over that she's safe and okay.

"Dad?"

"She's okay," he whispers, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

"Sweetie, do you want to have some hot chocolate with me?" She raises her eyes first to dad and then to me, nodding almost imperceptibly. Dad stands up, taking her hand in his and the three of us walk downstairs to the kitchen. Once she's seated at the kitchen table, I sit down beside her while dad heats some water on the stove to make us each a cup of cocoa.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I ask, offering her my hand.

"I miss Damon." Reaching up, she presses her fists to her eyes, trying to halt the flow of her tears.

"Oh honey, I know you do. I promise that I'll ask the people at the jail if you can visit him, okay?"

"Promise?" Reaching over, I take her hands in mine, hoping to convey that I do care.

"I promise. What was your dream about?"

"I'm scared," she whimpers, dropping her eyes.

"Honey, you don't have to be afraid of us. We all care about you so much. I promise you that nothing will happen to you here. You do believe that don't you?" I breathe a sigh of relief when she nods affirmatively. Dad hands us each a steaming mug of chocolate goodness. After he gets the marshmallows out of the cupboard, he joins us at the kitchen table.

"Thank you, daddy. This really hits the spot." I don't miss the moment when he sees that I'm no longer wearing Tyler's ring. He gives me a look but doesn't say anything because this moment is for Stefanie.

"This is good," she says, her voice soft but she does manage a tentative smile for my dad. Once we finish, we put the dishes in the sink. When we get to her room, dad and I tuck her in.

"If mom doesn't have anything planned tomorrow, maybe you and me and Katherine could go to a movie. Would you like that?"

"Really?"

"Yes, really. You go to sleep now." I press a kiss to her forehead as does my dad. After clicking on the nightlight, he pulls her door closed and follows me into my bedroom.

Taking a seat beside me on the bed, he tilts his head slightly and points at my now naked left ring finger. "Do you want to talk about that?"

"I told Tyler to take a hike. He interfered in my job, going above me to his father to get me removed from Damon's case. I warned him not to and he did it anyway. I told him there would be consequences if he did so and it didn't phase him. And you know what daddy, it feels good to be free."

Pulling me into a hug, he drops a kiss to my head, asking softly, "Are you okay though?"

"I am daddy. I really am. Stefanie trusts you?"

"I think she does now. At first she was pretty squeamish around me and Jeremy too but she's working on it. And as far as Tyler is concerned, I'm relieved. Smiling at him, I wrap my arms around his neck, giving him a big hug. When he hugs back, I just close my eyes. After several moments, we pull apart. He gives my hand a squeeze and then stands up.

"Now how about you let your old dad tuck you in?" I start laughing when he winks at me.

"How can I say no to that!?" Smiling widely at me, he pulls the covers back. Once I'm comfortable on the mattress, he covers me up, presses a kiss to my forehead and says goodnight before walking out of my room, puling the door shut behind him.

I snuggle in, happy and content because I know my daddy will always be here when I need him.

* * *

 _"Sssh, Damon. I'm trying to watch the movie."_

 _"But I want some popcorn."_

 _"Sssh."_

 _"Give me some popcorn then." Being the badass that I am, I set the bucket on my other side so he can't reach it._

 _"Elena!?"_

 _"Would you be quiet?" I snap at him, putting a handful of it in my mouth. As soon as I swallow it, I rub my tummy, taunting him with "mmm, mmm, so good."_

 _"I'm going to tell on you."_

 _"Hush!" Next thing I know he's sitting on my lap and reaching for the popcorn bucket. Without thinking, I give him a shove at the same time his hand grabs onto the bucket, sending popcorn flying all over us and the people nearby. We look at each other, bursting out laughing._

"I want some popcorn, Elena," Katherine demands, giving me a shove to get my attention.

"Sssh, I'll go to get some." Standing up, I quietly crawl over people to get to the aisle so I can go to the concession stand. Once I pay for drinks, candy and a bucket of popcorn, I make my way back to the girls. I smile when I see them sitting together, holding hands. After handing Stefanie the bucket, I set their drinks in the cup holders then sit down so the people behind us can see.

"Did you get candy too?" Rolling my eyes, I open the bag of red licorice, take out a few ropes for myself and then give it to Katherine.

"But I wanted M&M's," she whines.

"Either you eat the licorice or you get nothing." Turning my attention back to the screen, I get completely lost in the movie. Thankfully the girls were quiet after getting their refreshments. When it's over, we make our way out of the theatre and to my car. I make sure their seat belts are secure before driving home. It's almost four o'clock by the time I pull into our driveway, shocked and appalled when I see the car parked in front of my parent's house. Anger surging through me, I blurt out, "You've got to be effing kidding me!"

* * *

 _Thank you Eva, so very much. There will be more present day Damon in the upcoming chapters._

 _Thanks for the follows and favorites. A big thank you for those that took the time to review the last chapter._

 _Chapter title: 'Disposable Heroes' by Metallica_

 _I have started to post ' **Dig** '. I would love to hear your thoughts on my Paleontologist/Archeologist Dr. Damon Salvatore and best selling adventure novelist Elena Gilbert._

 _I recently posted the final chapter of 'Rainy Days and Mondays'._

 _'Tears in Heaven' is still in progress too._

 _Please do remember to click that review button._

 _I worked the last 3 nights so I'm going to crawl into bed now for a few hours. I had my review for work and was told that I'm the best team player on the night shift so that was great to hear. I'm as 'type A' as they come as are a lot of nurses so I am usually on my feet doing something._

 _As always, stay safe and have a fabulous day. I hope 2016 is treating you all well so far. I'll see you in a couple of days for chapter 3 of 'Dig'._


	8. Lonely in Love

"You said a bad word, Elena," Katherine says, shaming me with her two index fingers.

Turning away for a moment so she doesn't see me trying to stifle a laugh, I do every in my power to hold it in. When I finally compose myself, I spin back to face her.

"I said effing, I didn't say that bad word aloud. And you best not say it either, young lady."

"I won't. Mama said that's a bad, bad word."

"Where did you hear it anyway?"

"Jeremy."

Knowing that I'll need to have a word or two with Jer, I just shake my head. But first things first. I need to get in the house and kick his ass out. Seething, I get out of the car, making sure the girls grab what's left of their popcorn and licorice before going into the house. Dad greets me at the door and I can see that his fuse has been lit too.

"Is that Elena?" I hear him ask from the other room.

"Yes, it's Elena. What are you doing here? I told you that we were through."

"I decided to forgive you for that little temper tantrum," he says, walking into the foyer to join dad and me.

"You forgive me? That's rich."

With my temper reaching def con ten, I close my eyes and count to ten.

"Elena, you weren't yourself that day. Out of the goodness of my heart, I'm going to give you another chance to apologize for your childish outburst."

Left speechless by his unmitigated gall, I'm about burst a vessel.

"Tyler Lockwood, now you listen to me. I want you out of my house and out of my life. I will have anything and everything that you may have left at my apartment delivered to your office. I don't want to have anything else to do with you. Are we clear?"

Releasing a breath, I walk over to the door, pull it open and gesture for him to leave with my outstretched arm. He gives off an exaggerated huff before stepping right in front of me, sticking his nose right in my face.

"Don't come crawling back to me, Elena Gilbert. We're through!"

"Don't let the door hit you on the way out," I taunt, slamming the door shut as soon as his backside clears the threshold. When I turn around, I happen to notice Stefanie cowering a bit behind my dad, his arm wrapped around her securely.

"Remind me never to get on your bad side," dad teases me, while rubbing her back gently.

"I'm proud of you, little girl."

"Thanks daddy. Do you believe the nerve of that man, saying he forgives me? I'm so mad I could spit!"

"I was waiting for you to haul off and pop him one."

"Oh I wanted to."

"Daddy, Elena said a bad word in the car," Katherine tattles, pretending to act all shy because she knows she has daddy wrapped around her little finger.

"Katherine, we won't hold it against her this time but if she does it again, she'll have to go stand in the corner."

Rolling my eyes, I stoop down in front of Stefanie.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?"

Although she still has the deer in the headlights look in her eyes, she nods so I stand back up, glaring playfully at Katherine.

"Okay, daddy. I'll make sure to tell you."

My mouth drops when the little troublemaker sticks her tongue out at me before running off, dragging Stefanie to the kitchen with her to see what mom is doing. I start laughing right along with dad. I love my little sister but she is a little pistol.

* * *

"Hello Damon."

"You wanted to speak to me?" he asks, looking a little worse for wear. He's pale, his hair looks damp as if he's sweating. Just as he's about to answer, he sneezes loudly.

"You're sick."

"I'll be fine. Why did you want to see me?"

"Stefanie misses you a lot, she wants to see you, Damon. I did some checking and it's okay for me to bring her here. Please don't say no."

"Elena, I don't want her to see me chained to a chair. She already has bad dreams."

"She could see you in one of the cubicles. That way she wouldn't have to see the chains. You'd just talk to her through the window with a phone receiver."

"I miss her a lot too but..."

"But what, Damon? She needs to see you. She's so worried and she loves you so very much."

"I know, I love her too. How is she?"

"You're right, Stefanie is still having some brutal nightmares but she trusts my dad. From what I've heard about her father, I think she's a very strong little girl if she can trust a man after living with that monster."

"He was a sick, low life, perverted man and I'm not sad he's de...," he starts to say, a loud sneeze interrupting him. Unable to stop myself, I reach over to touch his skin. He's burning up with fever.

"You need to see a doctor. I intend to make sure you do. Once you're feeling better, I'm going to bring Stefanie to see you. I'm sure mom and dad would love to see you again too, Damon. I hope you know that they really did try to keep you with us. They spoke with a lawyer and a Judge but there was just nothing they could do short of kidnapping you."

"I know, Elena. I'm not mad at your parents. They gave me the only real home I've ever known."

When he starts coughing up a lung, bringing up some blood-tinged sputum, I get up to leave so I can arrange for him to be seen by a physician. After explaining that to him, he nods and I leave, going directly to the Sheriff's office so he can arrange transportation for Damon to go to the emergency room or have a doctor come to the jail to check on him.

* * *

Damon is under police guard at the hospital, having one ankle and one arm shackled to the bed frame. As his attorney, I can see him but Stefanie won't be allowed to see him until he's back at the jail. Stepping into his room, I gasp slightly when I see how sick he looks yet. The nurse is at his bedside starting an IV from the looks of it. Although he's a grown man, he's grimacing when she slides the needle into his vein. The man has veins like garden hoses. I have a couple of acquaintances that are nurses who joke about big veins being 'nurse porn'.

The guard is sitting on one of the chairs. And after introducing myself to him so he knows that I'm allowed to be here, I step over to the bedside, my eyes on the nurse.

"How is he?"

"He has pneumonia. He'll be getting fluid and some IV antibiotics. The doctor ordered morphine for chest pain and respiratory therapy will be giving him Albuterol nebs and monitoring his oxygen needs along with the nursing staff of course. We always check their pulse oximetry when we check the vital signs. The pulse oximetry measures the oxygen content, if the number is below ninety, we usually start oxygen by nasal cannula. That's the little prongs he has in his nose. His fever is high so he's pretty delirious."

"I'm Elena, I'm both his attorney and his friend. I know I don't need to say this but please take good care of him."

"No worries, Miss Gilbert. That's why I'm here."

Noticing the name on her ID badge, I look at Damon, staring for a moment before looking at her again.

"Thank you, Patti."

"You're welcome. Just put the call light on if you need anything."

"I'll do that." Sucking in a breath of air, I push another chair to his bedside. Sitting down, I take his hand in mine, telling him that I'm here. When he opens his eyes, he smiles slightly.

"You're allowed to be here?"

"As your attorney, yes I am allowed. Unfortunately though, you're not allowed any other visitors so Stefanie will have to wait till you get back to the jail."

"Thank you for coming, for everything really, Elena. I know I'm not the easiest client but this is something I have to do," he whispers, his eyes dropping closed. Curious to what he means by 'this is something that I have to do', I start to ask but he appears to be asleep already. Tired, I push a strand of hair behind my ear. Worried sick about him, I sit at his bedside for quite awhile till I notice the time on my watch. Standing up, I finger a few hairs off of his forehead, whispering goodbye before taking my leave. I go to look for his nurse to give her my number should he need anything, I'm more than a bit surprised when I see Matt talking to Damon's nurse.

"Fancy meeting you here, Matt?"

"Elena, hi. This is my wife, Patti. Patti, this is Elena Gilbert. She works in the public defenders office."

"We already met in Damon's room. I'm really happy to meet you."

Offering her my hand, she rolls her eyes and gives me a light hug.

"Matt has told me about you. I'm glad to meet you too."

The three of us chat for a several minutes before she walks off to answer a call light. After Matt tells her goodbye, he walks me to my car since it's starting to get dark outside.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure?"

"I know Damon isn't feeling well, his fever and all but he said something kind of curious when I was in his room with him."

"What would that be?"

"He said that 'this is something that I have to do. I don't know Matt, it's perplexing."

"I agree. I wonder what he meant by that?" he adds, shaking his head.

"I don't know but I intend to find out. Thank you for walking me to my car. You have a lovely wife."

"No worries and yes, I do have a wonderful woman. Keep me in the loop, okay?"

"I will, Matt. Goodnight."

As soon as I'm safely in my car with the door locked, he walks away. Smiling because he's been such a friend to me and to Damon, I start the car and drive home, exhausted myself after a long day.

* * *

It's late by the time I get back to my apartment. Once I step inside, I drop my briefcase and collapse onto the couch. After kicking my shoes off, I put my feet up and close my eyes. Before I know it, having fallen asleep, it's completely dark in my living room. With a yawn, I reach up and switch on the lamp for a minute. Stretching, I stand up and walk into my bedroom and then into the bathroom. Sighing heavily, I turn on the water on hot and pout a big dollop of bubble bath in, letting the bubbles erupt from the stream of water filling my tub. Taking a moment to turn down my covers, I stretch my limbs, strip out of my clothes and crawl into the tub. Laying my head back, I close my eyes, feeling myself relax completely. I don't know how much later it is when I arouse. Having nearly fallen asleep a second time, I yawn deeply and stand up, wrapping myself in a towel.

Too tired to even bother with pajamas, I drop my towel then crawl into bed, falling asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow, all the while dreaming of Damon and his eyes. No ordinary blue could describe them, not the color of the sky, nor the little blue flowers that bloom on the tundra or at the side of road. His eyes are an entity all their own, like the crystal clear blue color of a mountain lake or a river as it crashes over the rapids. If you look long enough to be mesmerized by them, you could imagine forever inside of their stormy depths.

 _"Help me!" I hear Damon yelling frantically. My dad and I take off running down the water's edge._

 _"Keep yelling so we can find you, Damon," dad screams, running fast and hard._

 _"HELP ME," he cries, his voice sodden with tears._

 _"Just keep screaming," I yell back, terrified myself because he sounds so frightened. Finally we reach him, half of his body is submerged in quicksand. Daddy immediately grabs a long tree branch, extending one end to him._

 _"Hang on tight, I'm going to pull you out." Daddy pulls as hard as he can and even if he doesn't need my help, I pull too, falling smackdab on my behind once Damon is free from danger. Dad rushes to him, hugging him tightly as he runs a hand down his back to comfort him. Damon is crying so hard that he's panting for a breath._

 _"You're okay now," Dad continues to soothe him. When Damon pulls his head away from dad's chest, he raises his eyes to him then throws his arms around his neck whispering I love you to my dad. Dad hugs him again, pressing a kiss to his hair. Damon is still just a little boy, only eight._

 _"How did you fall into the quicksand?"_

 _"I wasn't watching where I was going. I was looking for pretty rocks," he blubbers, tears still falling from his eyes. When he turns those glistening blue eyes towards mine, I run over, wrapping my arms around both of them._

With a gasp, I lurch upright in bed. With my heart hammering against my ribcage, I press my palm to my chest and fall back onto the mattress, relieved that it was just a dream, although it was very real and very scary at the time. Seeing the bottle of Advil at my bedside, I reach for it, dump a couple in my hand and then swallow them down. Feeling that my heart has finally stopped galloping like a stampeding herd of buffalo, I turn on my side, hoping to go back to sleep.

* * *

"Good morning, Elena."

"Hello Elijah. To what do I owe the pleasure?" After setting my briefcase down, I walk around, leaning against my desk waiting for him to tell me why he's here.

"I wanted to know how the Salvatore case is going?"

"Pre-trial motions have been postponed for the immediate future. Damon is in the hospital with pneumonia. He's quite ill."

"Alright then, that's all I wanted to know. I will have you know that Tyler Lockwood showed up on my doorstep as it were demanding your termination."

"How dare he? I broke off our engagement so now he wants to take his toys and go home?! I can't believe I was ever stupid enough to tell him yes in the first place."

Shaking my head, it suddenly dawns on me that I don't know if I still have a job or not.

"Um, what did you tell him?"

"Don't worry, Elena. You do fine work. This is my department and Tyler has no say in it. If Richard tries to pressure me to fire you, I will represent you myself when we take the city to court for firing you without cause."

"Thank you, Elijah. Really."

"You're welcome. I'll talk to you soon." After giving me a nod, he turns around and walks out of my office, head held high.

* * *

"Hi Matt, it's Elena. I was hoping you could meet me at the hospital to go to see Damon."

"I have one more client to meet with and then I can go over there. Is there any specific reason?"

"Well.. uh.. I was kind of hoping that since you're a cop, you could stay in the room while his guard takes a break or something so I could let Stefanie talk to him on the phone."

"Elena, prisoners aren't supposed to get calls or receive visitors."

"I know that but certainly you've broken the rules at some point during your storied career? Please, Matt?"

I hear him sigh heavily before he puts the receiver to his mouth again.

"I'll try. I don't know if we'll get his guard out of the room or not?"

"Thank you, Matt. I'll see you when you get there."

"Bye, Elena."

After clicking off my phone, I stick it in my pocket as I walk through the sliding doors of the hospital entrance. Deciding to take the stairs, I walk up until I get to the fifth floor. Stepping into the corridor, I look from my left and then to my right till I see the right room number. Smiling, I make my way to his room, pushing the door open but my heart drops when I see how utterly ill he still looks with the oxygen prongs in his nose and the IV still hooked to his vein. Not wanting to wake him, I try to walk softly, still my shoes click clack as I step across the linoleum till I reach his bedside. Nodding at his guard, I take a seat, pulling his hand into mine.

"How is he today?" I ask the guard softly.

"Not well yet and in all honesty, Miss Gilbert, I think he's given up."

"Why do you say that?"

"He's facing life in prison for murder, maybe he'd just rather die?"

"I don't believe that. He has a little sister that he loves dearly. He wouldn't want to leave her."

"He told me that she was safe and well cared for...?"

"Thank you for telling me."

I look up when I hear a rap on the door frame.

"Matt, I'm glad you're here."

"Hello Elena. How are is our patient doing?"

"Officer Reynolds was saying that he's not so good."

Matt walks over to him, talking softly and showing him his police badge.

"Why don't you take a short break? I'll stay here till you get back."

Nodding excitedly, Officer Reynolds thanks him profusely and after telling us at least four times that he'll be back in twenty minutes, he dashes out of the room.

"Hurry, he will most likely be back sooner rather than later."

"Thank you, Matt." I quickly dial home, asking mom to put Stefanie on the line while Matt jostles Damon awake. Looking dazed, it takes him a few moments to get his bearings. Once he recognizes me, I hand him the phone. I watch as his eyes light up when he realizes just who he's talking to. Matt and I step out, standing on either side of his doorway to give him a few moments of privacy to talk to his little sister. When I hear my name, I walk back to his bedside. He hands me my phone back, clutching my hand in his for several seconds.

"Thank you so much for making sure she's safe. It really means a lot to me that you're looking out for her."

"You're welcome. And you can repay me by getting well, okay?"

"How are you, Damon?" Matt asks, coming to stand on the other side of his hospital bed.

"Matt? Why are you here?"

"Miss Gilbert is my friend as are you. I want you to get better for yourself and for your little sister. She needs you, Damon."

"I know but.., I'm going to spend the rest of my life in prison."

"Not if we can help it," Matt interrupts, staring at me. Knowing he can't fight both of us, he exhales heavily and closes his eyes. Although his voice is hoarse from coughing, he looks at me a good long time. Finally he whispers he's tired before turning onto his side and away from me. It's then that officer Reynolds walks back into Damon's room.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Damon."

I give his back one last look before picking up my bag and walking away, Matt by my side. After saying thank you and goodbye to him, I slowly walk back to my car. Once I slip inside, I drop my head against the steering wheel, an unfamiliar feeling welling in my chest, knowing with absolute clarity that I can't lose him again and certainly not to prison for the rest of our lives. Finally I sit up, turn on the car and drive home, my mind a maelstrom of contradicting emotions.

* * *

 _Damon isn't feeling so well. As a nurse, medicine is what I know so there is usually some medical drama in all of my stories._

 _Thank you so much, Eva. Love you lots._

 _Thank all of you so much for reading and reviewing. I really appreciate them so much._

 _Chapter title: 'Lonely in Love' by Dan Fogelberg_

 _I have posted the first part of a 2 part Rainy Days and Mondays sequel called 'Rainy Days and Mondays: Hunter's Song'. I will post the final part soon._

 _'Dig' and 'Tears in Heaven' will update yet this week. Please take those couple of moments to leave me a review. I am proud of the fact that I have completed all of my stories. The three that I have in progress will all be completed too._

 _Have a safe and happy day. Thank you again and do remember to review. Till next time..._


	9. Tears Fall Down

"Hi daddy."

'What's the matter sweetheart?"

"Damon is very sick. He's in the hospital with pneumonia. I'm just really worried about him."

"What can you tell me?"

"I haven't talked to his doctor. But when I saw him this morning, they moved him to a higher level of care. He's now needing his oxygen with a mask instead of the nasal prongs."

"Do you want me to drive over? I could go to the hospital with you?"

"Could you?"

"Yes, of course. Do you want me to come straight to your office or meet you at your apartment?"

"My apartment. Maybe I can get my friend, Matt to help out again. He was Damon's parole officer plus he really cares about him. He's the one who helped me sneak that phone call he made to Stefanie."

"He sounds like a good man."

"That he is, dad. I need to get back to work. I'll see you in the morning."

"Goodbye sweetheart." Taking a breath, I click off my phone, slipping it back in my bag. I feel anxious today and am unable to sit still. Reaching for my phone, I quickly find his number and push dial.

"Hello?"

"Matt, it's Elena."

"Hey. Is he okay?"

"He's taken a turn for the worse. I'm very concerned and I'm antsy and anxious and I can't sit still. What do you say we go over to talk to Damon's mother?"

"Do you think we'll get anything else out of her?"

"I really don't know but maybe she'll let something slip? Who knows?"

"I guess it's worth a try. I have to warn you though, she'll probably be on the warpath since Stefanie got taken away the last time you visited with her."

"I don't care. We need to save him if he won't try to save himself."

"Alright Elena. I'm close to the criminal justice building. I'll run by to pick you up. I'm not letting you go to see her by yourself."

"I was really hoping that you would say that."

"I'll be there in a fifteen, twenty minutes."

Clicking off the phone, I shove it in my bag again. Pulling Damon's file out of my drawer, I open it up to read through it again. Damon's words, _"This is something that I have to do."_ plays in my head repeatedly. What did he mean by that? I know it's a piece of the puzzle but I'm not grasping the significance yet. I know there's something there though, I can feel it with everything in me. Feeling frustrated, I crumple up my piece of note paper and toss it in the garbage. Hearing a rap on my door, I look up just as Matt is pushing my door open. I visibly relax when I see that it's him.

"I'm so glad you're here. I just can't get what Damon said about this being something that he had to do out of my head. I know that it means something but I can't quite put the pieces together. I need more."

"I think you're right. But do you really think Eleanor Fell is going to help?"

"Not intentionally no. But I'm hoping maybe she'll inadvertently reveal something? I don't know Matt. Damon is so determined to crucify himself. I have to do everything humanly possible to save him. I'm not going to let him take the fall for something that he may not have done."

"I guess anything is possible where Eleanor is concerned. But you know, Damon. He's as stubborn as the day is long. You're going to have your work cut out for you to get him to open up, Elena."

"You're absolutely right. Somehow I'm going to barge through that wall he's erected you know? If I have to pole vault over it, I will."

He laughs and shakes his head before asking, "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, let's."

I pick up my purse, lock my desk and then follow Matt out of the building and hop into the passenger seat of his car.

"Do you have your service revolver with you? I mean, she lives in a pretty seedy neighborhood."

"Always do," he replies, not taking his eyes off of the road ahead. We take a moment to go through a drive up window to get some coffee. By the time we get to our destination, there's no one to be seen in the neighborhood. It's a bit strange that no children are outside playing nor is anyone walking on the sidewalk.

"This is weird, Matt," I utter, looking in all directions.

"It is. Come on, let's see if she's around." I follow his lead and get out of the car, stepping close beside him as we walk up the sidewalk till we get to her front door. After sharing a look with Matt, I start rapping on the front door. Just as I raise my hand to rap a second time, the door swings open, Damon's mother standing there with blood shot eyes and a cigarette hanging from her mouth.

"Officer Donovan," she slurs, stumbling back into her house. Shaking my head, I start to follow but am stopped when Matt grabs onto my arm, pulling me behind him as we walk inside.

"What do you want?"

"We came to tell you that Damon is very ill. He's in the hospital in intensive care."

"Well, what the hell did you people at the jail do to him? Did the loser pick a fight and get beaten up? He always did lack a backbone!" The vitriol she spews at her son is unbelievable.

"No Mrs. Fell, he has pneumonia."

"Well if he dies, you make sure they know that I'm his only kin."

"What about his sister?"

"What about the little traitor? If I find out where they took her, they'll have to deal with me."

"What do you mean, deal with me?"

"I intend to get her back. It's her fault that her father is dead anyway."

"Why are you blaming her? You told the police that Damon killed him."

"Never mind. I don't have to talk to you people. Get the hell out of my house." Knowing we're not going to get anything else out of her, Matt and I leave, jumping when she slams the door shut as soon as we walk out. Once we're in the car with the doors locked and Matt is driving off, I drop my head into my hand.

"Something is definitely rotten in Denmark in all of this."

"I agree. But Damon isn't going to cooperate and neither is his mother. Perhaps, Stefanie?"

"According to Damon, she wasn't even in the home when he killed Fell. The police working the case know she's receiving counseling so they haven't pushed as far as interviewing her goes."

"That's probably a good thing."

"I agree."

"Listen, I have to meet with another one of my charges so I need to take you back to your office." We sit in comfortable silence till we get to my office building. Just as I step out of his car, l lean in, my head in the window.

"My dad is coming in the morning. He's a doctor and he wants to see Damon. Could you help me with that?"

"Perhaps. I'll be at the hospital in the morning. Goodbye, Elena." Nodding, I step back from the car, watching as he drives away.

* * *

"Come on in, dad," I yawn as I open the door the next morning.

"You look tired." Stepping inside, he presses a kiss to my forehead before taking a seat on my couch.

"Do you want some coffee?"

"I do. I didn't sleep real well last night myself."

"I saw Eleanor yesterday."

When he raises an eyebrow at me, I go on to explain that she threatened to raise Cain when she finds out what happened to her traitor of a daughter.

"She actually called her daughter a traitor?"

"She really did, dad. I don't know, there's just so much more to this case than meets the eye. I'm not giving up on Damon even if he's given up on himself."

"If anyone can find the key that fits the lock you can. When you set your mind to something, you're like a bulldog with a bone. And for that, I'm proud of you, little girl."

Taking a big slog of my coffee, I drop my eyes for a minute, my mind going ninety miles a minute.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. Has Stefanie talked about that night at all?"

"No, but there's no doubt in my mind that her nightmares are related to her father."

"I mean, I know what's alleged, that he would touch her inappropriately but does she talk in her nightmares?"

"Not that I know of, usually she's just thrashing by the time I get to her room. She was very squeamish around me and your brother too when she came to our house. She's still jumpy around Jeremy but he's always busy with his girlfriend and doesn't spend much time with her."

"He's just a kid yet." Once I swallow the last of my coffee, I get up to refill dad's cup before excusing myself to get dressed. Once I finish brushing my hair, I put it up in a messy bun, slip on a pants and a button down shirt. I slip on my heels then go to join my dad.

"I'm ready."

After tossing him my car keys, I follow him outside, stopping only to lock my apartment door. I've had the locks changed since breaking up with Tyler. I'm not afraid of him but I don't trust him not to barge in here again since he never returned my apartment key. I get in the car, buckle my seatbelt just as daddy backs out of my designated parking spot. Unfortunately we hit every red light on the way to the hospital. A half hour and a side of frustration later, we finally get to the hospital. When we walk inside, we go directly to the intensive care unit. As Damon's attorney, he did put me down as someone who could receive information about him.

After okaying it with his guard, I signal for dad to join me at Damon's bedside. He looks so acutely ill, dark circles under his eyes, his skin is sallow looking. He's lost weight making his cheeks appear sunken in. The respiratory therapist has him hooked to a BIPAP machine. The Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure or BiPAP is a patented, non-invasive ventilation machine. The BiPAP is used to treat central sleep apnea and severe obstructive sleep apnea. It is also prescribed for patients who suffer from respiratory and heart diseases. Not long after we arrive, I see Matt walking down the hall towards us.

"Hi Matt. This is my dad, Doctor Grayson Gilbert. Dad, this if Officer Donovan." The two of them shake hands and chat between themselves while we wait for Damon's doctor to join us. I walk back over to his bed, taking his hand in mine.

"Damon," I whisper, rubbing the base of his thumb with mine. He stirs, reaching up, he tries to take the bipap off. I take his hand back in mine and tell him that he's in the hospital and that he needs to cooperate with his treatments. Finally he opens his eyes but just a slit. I feel him squeeze my hand so I know he recognizes me.

'Daddy, come here." He steps over to the other side of the bed, taking Damon's other hand.

"Damon, it's Gray." I watch as tears begin to prick at the inner corners of his eyes. My heart breaks knowing he's in pain. Suddenly, he starts coughing violently, alarms start blaring and nurses pour into the room, they quickly raise the head of his bed so he can cough it out before he aspirates. The respiratory therapist asks us to leave the room. I watch from the window as he sticks a tiny suction catheter down Damon's nose, suctioning a load of yellow thick stuff out. Just as I'm about to turn around, I see his doctor approach, quickly bypassing me, going straight to Damon.

"Get a port chest X ray now," he orders, closing the blinds so we can't watch anymore. Feeling tears forming in my eyes, I walk into my dad's arms. He always makes me feel better.

"Daddy, what's the matter with him?"

"He probably needs a thoracentesis. They stick a needle in his back and drain some fluid off of his lungs. The fluid in his lungs makes it hard for him to breathe. It's possible that he could have a collapsed lung as well. Let's wait to see what the X ray shows."

"I'm scared."

"I know, sweetie. He loves his little sister too much to give up."

"I'm not so certain about that. He knows she's safe and secure with you and mom...," I whisper, letting my voice trail off when a big machine is pushed into his room.

"That's an x ray machine," dad explains, continuing to stroke my back.

"Matt, I wanted to let him talk to Stefanie again but I don't think he's in any shape to do so."

"No, I don't think so either, Elena. I'd invite you to the cafeteria but I don't think you'll leave his side..."

"I can't, not until the doctor tells us what's going on." Before I can take another breath, he walks out.

"Dr. Gilbert, I thought that was you. Do you know Mr. Salvatore?"

"Dr. Akers, it's good to see you," dad says, shaking his hand.

"Yes, I know Damon. He lived with my family for seven years when he was young, he means a lot to me. This is my daughter, Elena," he says, using his hand to nudge me forward. Offering him my hand, I shake it then reach up to wipe the tears from my eyes.

"His lungs are full. I'm going to do a bronchoscopy so I can suck some of the secretions and mucous plugs out of his bronchi. I may need to do a thoracentesis too but I want to see how he responds after the bronch. He'll need to be sedated for that," he explains to me.

"Is he going to be okay?"

"He's young and was healthy up till this point so if we can get him over the hump, I'm sure he'll make a full recovery."

"Thank you. Take care of him."

"I will."

"Come Elena, let's go. I'll call your mom to tell her that I'm going to stay overnight with you so I can come back with you either later this evening or in the morning. Hopefully he'll be able to talk by then."

"Thanks daddy. Oh Matt, I'm sorry, we completely ignored you. Have you talked to Nick recently?"

"Not since the two of us went to see him. He'll be in touch if he finds out anything."

"You're right. Should we go to Caroline's to have lunch?"

"Now that, Miss Gilbert, is an excellent idea." He motions for us to follow along so we do, the three of us stepping into the elevator together, my eyes never leaving Damon's room till the elevator door closes.

* * *

After calling the hospital last evening to check on Damon, his nurse said he was still snowed from the anesthetic so we decided to wait till the morning to go back to the hospital. Daddy thought that it was best to let him rest without trying to wheedle information out of him. Once again, I go inside first to get permission from his guard for my dad to come in to see Damon. This morning his color looks a little better and although he still has oxygen on, he has the nasal prongs again which means his oxygen requirement is lessened which is very good news.

"Damon, I was so worried about you," I utter, practically leaping to his bedside. He's sitting up in bed picking at his lunch.

"Elena?" His voice is hoarse and raspy sounding but he's alert. I breathe a sigh of relief when I see a little sparkle back in the surreal blue color of his eyes.

"Daddy's here too." Turning my head to the side, I gesture for daddy to come to the bedside.

"Damon, it's good to see you looking better."

"Hi Mr. Gilbert."

"Damon, you don't need to be so formal. You used to call me papa."

"That was a long time ago," he whispers, dropping his eyes. Daddy smiles sadly. Reaching over he takes Damon's chin in his hand gently, raising his face to look at him.

"Damon, Miranda and I still love you very much. I want to show you something." He lets go of Damon chin then pulls his phone out of his chest pocket. He opens up the photos, smiling when he finds some of the girls. Looking over his shoulder, I smile too. Stefanie has a genuine smile on her face, the first one I've seen. Dad hands Damon his phone while dad describes the context of the pictures.

"She's happy," Damon whispers, sounding awed. I watch as he takes one hand and strokes his finger over her face.

"I miss her so much."

"I know you do. See this next one, I took them to the movie that day. Katherine is a little hellion but they get along famously despite their age difference."

"Thank you papa, for taking her in. Our DNA donor has no clue as to how to be a parent. She let him beat me and he would touch his own daughter. How could any mother allow that? Stefanie couldn't take it anymore, I had to do something. I had to."

"Damon, no one else will hurt her, you have my word. As far as the monster that your mother married goes, I'm not sorry he's dead either. But that's why we take her to see a counselor twice a week. She's not afraid of me. And I promise you that we'll try to adopt her if God forbid, you get sent to prison for a long time."

"I just want her to be safe and happy. She's the only blood family I have."

"You have us, Damon," dad reassures him, giving his hand a squeeze.

"Thank you, both of you for trying to help me but I have to plead guilty. I can't let... ." His voice trails off, suddenly mute. I stare at him curiously till he drops his gaze, looking through more of dad's photos. There's even a picture of him and me as children that dad took pictures of pictures so they'd be in his phone.

He touches Stefanie's face once more before handing the phone back to dad. "I'd like you to leave now, I'm tired."

"Damon?" He doesn't answer, he just rolls onto his side, turning his back to us. Sighing heavily, I follow along when dad takes me by the crook of the elbow, pulling me out of his room.

* * *

"Goodnight daddy. I'll see you in the morning."

"You too, baby girl."

After giving him a goodnight kiss, I go into my room and crawl into bed, having showered earlier. I fluff my pillow and grab my tablet to read for a little while. As tired as I am, it doesn't take long for my eyelids to get heavy. Finally giving up, I set it down and turn off my bedside lamp before scooting down in bed and pulling the covers over me. Tired, I fall asleep quickly and just as quickly dreams fill my subconscious.

 _"Stop it Will," I yell when he pushes me off of the swing, stealing it for himself. Not one to take bullying, I hop back onto my feet and push him back._

 _"Knock it off, Gilbert," he yells, shoving me hard enough to make me scrape my knees on the concrete. Feeling tears beginning to prick at my eyes, I jump when I suddenly see Damon rear back and punch him squarely in the nose. Immediately a stream of blood erupts, spattering all over his tee shirt. He roars, charging at Damon headfirst, sending him sprawling onto the grass. Damon, the little scrapper that he is, quickly jumps to his feet and takes off after Will again, leaping at him from behind, knocking his face into the gravel, pounding him with his fists._

 _"You leave girls alone you big bully," Damon screams as he continues to pummel him. In no time, a whole crowd is surrounding them, cheering on the fight. When I see the principal coming, the group separates letting him and Mr. Tanner, our football coach through. The principal grabs Will while Mr. Tanner takes Damon by the scruff of the neck, hauling them both to the principal's office._

 _Later in the day, I hide in his room while I wait for him to come upstairs. When he walks inside, I nearly pounce on him, asking if he told them that it was my fight. Shaking his head no, I ask him why._

 _"I'm supposed to protect you," he says, crossing his arms over his chest._

 _"But Damon, it's as much my fault as it is yours."_

 _"I'm grounded for a week. It's no big deal, just forget about it, please?"_

 _"Thank you. I owe you one."_

 _"No you don't. I love you, you're my family. Families are supposed to look out for each other."_

 _I walk over and give him a hug. He's stiff as a statue for a few seconds before finally hugging me back. When I let go, I give him a kiss on the cheek, say goodnight and go to bed, never having paid him back for protecting me that day._

Awakened in a cold sweat, I sit up, panting till I catch my breath. Blowing out a big puff of air, I stumble out of bed, walking into the bathroom to splash some cold water on my face. Just as I'm reaching for the towel, I hear a rap on my door.

"Elena, is everything okay?"

Resting my hands against the sink, I hold on so hard that my knuckles and fingertips are white. Swallowing thickly, I call out to him that I'm okay and that I'll be right out. Taking a deep breath, I let go and walk back into my bedroom, opening the door for my dad. When he sees how pale and damp my skin is he asks me what's wrong.

"I just had a dream about Damon."

Turning around, I back up till I feel the backs of my legs hit the bed. Dropping down, I bury my face in my hands.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asks, stooping down in front of me, his hands on either side of my legs. Unable to speak, I just shake my head back on forth.

"Sweetheart, you're scaring me. Are you okay?"

"Daddy, we can't let him go to prison. I can't lose him again," I whisper, tears filling my eyes. Standing up, he sits beside me on the foot of the bed, wrapping his arms around me. He presses a kiss to the crown of my head while he rocks my body back and forth.

"We won't little girl, we won't," he says softly, my eyes dropping closed while he continues to cradle my body with his. Just as I'm about to fall asleep again, he helps me back into bed, pulling the covers over me. Rolling over, I bury my face in the pillow, the last sensation I feel before the edges darken completely are his lips on my forehead and his whisper of goodnight.

* * *

*Bronchoscopy is a technique of visualizing the inside of the airways. An instrument is inserted into the airways, usually through the nose or mouth, or occasionally through a tracheostomy, allowing the physician to look for abnormalities such as foreign bodies, bleeding, tumors, or inflammation.

*Thoracentesis: an invasive procedure to remove fluid or air from the lungs. A cannula, or hollow needle, is carefully introduced into the chest and allowing the fluid to be removed.

* * *

 _Thank you so much Eva for everything. I love you so much and your wisdom and the shoulder to cry on. You're the sister I never had._

 _Thank you so much for the reviews for the last chapter and the follows and favorites. I do appreciate it and those of you who regularly review, I thank you and appreciate all of you so much._

 _I really do believe people are losing interest in DE fan fiction because views and reviews are certainly plummeting and I'm certain it's not just my stories. That saddens me because I love DE. I don't now, nor have I ever watched any other 'shipper shows' so DE are it for me. But if people aren't interested enough to review or even read the stories anymore, I don't see the point in continuing to write them. Once I finish 'Nothing Left to Fear', I'm going to take a hiatus. Whether it's permanent or not, I don't know yet myself._

 _Chapter title: 'Tears Fall Down' by Hootie and the Blowfish_

 _My other in progress stories are 'Dig' and 'Tears in Heaven'._

 _Please remember to review._

 _Be safe, have a good day and we'll see you next time._


	10. Unholy Confessions

"Damon, please hear what I'm saying. I'm begging you to plead innocent. If for no other reason than to keep you out of jail for the rest of your life. Surely you don't want to see Stefanie grow up from behind razor wire topped walls or barred windows or shatter proof glass for the remainder of your natural life. I know how much you care about her. Won't you want to be there to watch her graduate from high school, walk her down the aisle when marries or be there when she has her first child?"

"Stop it, Elena. I have told you till I'm blue in the face that I'm guilty. Just please, stop. I don't want to discuss it any further."

"No, I'm not going to stop until I knock some sense into that thick skull of yours. Just be straight with me for once, okay? Were there any extenuating circumstances? Did he push you or threaten you? Did he threaten Stefanie? Please, Damon, just give me something to work with here?"

"Elena, no there weren't any extenuating circumstances or anything else. I saw an opportunity to end that bastard and that's what I did. And you said you'd respect my wish to plead guilty."

"Yeah, well that's before I almost lost you to a severe bout of pneumonia, Damon. I don't want to lose you again and certainly not for a lifetime."

When I raise my eyes to stare into his, I hope he sees how much I care. Even though I have no idea what it even means, I do know that I've never felt anything like this before, not even for Tyler.

"Elena?" he says softly before dropping his eyes and shaking his head.

"I care about you, Damon, so much. Please for Stefanie's sake and ours, please plead the right way?"

"I don't know, Elena," he says, clenching his fists together.

Sensing that I may be making a little headway, I extend my hands, taking his fists in mine. As always, I feel the crackles and pops of electricity surging through my skin and all the way to my heart. Feeling it beating wildly inside my chest, I need to take a breath.

"All of us want you in our lives again, me especially," I add with all the sincerity that I can muster. After releasing a heavy sigh, he nods. I close my eyes and breathe a sigh of relief.

"I'm going to petition the court for a delay so I have a little more time to get our case in order. Are you okay with that?"

"Why can't you just do as I ask? I just want it over with," he utters despondently, pulling his hands out of mine.

"Damon, I know that. But if you plead innocent, there's at least a chance, no matter how minute, that you could be found innocent."

"You could live with yourself knowing you set a killer free to kill again?"

"Stop that. You're not a cold-blooded killer and whether you're willing to admit that or not, I don't care. You and I both know it's true and I also know that you're not being completely honest with me and I promise you, Damon, I will figure this out, with or without your help."

He doesn't say anything, just stares, looking right through me for several seconds. He tightens his lips before spewing angrily at me.

"Elena, NO!? I told you I would plead innocent at arraignment to give you more time but I'm not going to do it again. This is what needs to be done. If you can't abide by my wishes, I'll petition the court for a new attorney."

Knowing I pushed him to the brink today, I stand up and take a deep breath. After giving his shoulder a squeeze, I get up and knock on the door signaling for the guard to let me leave.

"Goodbye, Damon," I whisper. When he raises his eyes to mine, I can't help but get lost in them. Our gaze stays joined till the closing of the door breaks the spell.

* * *

"Mr. Salvatore, will you please rise?"

Nodding slightly, Damon stands up with me beside him.

"How do you plead, Mr. Salvatore?"

"Guilty, Your Honor."

"No, Damon."

Stunned, my mouth drops and my stomach twists painfully. I honestly thought that I had gotten through to him. How am I ever going to tell Stefanie what he's done?

"Mr. Salvatore," the Judge interrupts.

"Are you pleading guilty under duress?"

"No, Your Honor, I'm not."

"I do not accept your plea today, Mr. Salvatore. I'm going to go over your case file with a fine tooth comb. If I'm satisfied of your complicity in this matter, I will allow you to plead guilty on our next court date. Court adjourned," he says, banging his gavel. Standing up, he gives both our table and the prosecution bench a look before exiting the courtroom. I breathe a heavy sigh of relief, dropping into the chair behind me.

"How can he do that? He has no right to do that. Son of bitch," he seethes, slamming his fist on the table top.

"He's the judge, he can do anything he pleases."

"No, he can't. This isn't right. You did this, didn't you?"

"Although I'm more than pleased with his decision, I assure you that I had nothing to do with it."

"I don't believe you."

"Really? When have I ever lied to you? Damn it, Damon, this is a good thing. It buys me some more time."

"How many ways from Sunday do I have to tell you that I just want it over and done with?"

"Damon, calm down."

"No, you don't get to tell me to calm down. And how do I go about getting a different lawyer?"

"You wouldn't. I didn't do anything against your wishes. I'm just trying to ensure that you're not separated from your sister for the rest of her life. She's a kid now but how do you think she's going to feel about you when she gets older? How do you think she'll feel when you miss all of her important milestones and life events? She may never forgive you. Rather than fight for her and your future, you're waving the white flag."

"She's twelve years old, Elena. I hardly think she's imagining love, marriage and the baby carriage just yet," he scoffs.

"Maybe not yet but it is coming, I assure you."

When I look up, I see the police guards are walking towards us to escort him back to his jail cell.

"Time to go, Damon," one of them states, motioning for him to stand up. Resigned, he gives me a look, extends his hands to be cuffed and is led out, a guard on each side.

* * *

Having been shown into Nick's office by his secretary, I see both him and Matt engaged in conversation when I walk in.

"Gentlemen?"

"Hello Elena." Getting up, Matt hands me a cup of coffee before sitting back down.

"Thanks." I take a big slog of it because I'm drowsy today.

"I hear Judge Nichols refused Damon's guilty plea? That man walks to the beat of no one's drum," Nick says, chuckling.

"He did indeed which means I need to prepare for trial. I need to talk to the detectives again. When did Eleanor Fell learn of her husband's death and where was she when the murder occurred?"

"I believe she told the police that she was by herself."

"By herself? That tells me that she has no one to corroborate her alibi. Don't you find it odd that they didn't question her any further or if they did, I'm unaware of it? Perhaps we need to speak to her again, Matt?"

"Why don't you leave that to me?" Nick asks, interrupting us.

Raising an eyebrow, I pause for a moment before responding.

"Why would we do that?"

"I have my own methods, Miss Gilbert," he teases, flashing that shit eating grin of his.

"Do I even want to know?"

"No, you don't."

"Fine. I'm going to go to speak to Detective Saltzman and see if they did verify her whereabouts on that night." Standing up, I get up to leave Nick's office, turning around in the doorway to say goodbye to both of them. Matt follows soon after, walking me to my car.

"What was that all about?"

"Don't worry, Elena. Nick is a reputable PI. He's not going to do anything illegal. He'll just talk to her and see if he can determine where she was the night her husband was killed. Did Damon or Stefanie say anything about her absence?"

"No."

"I have some kids to see so I need to go. I'll talk to you soon, Elena."

"Bye Matt. Say hello to your wife for me."

"I will do that. Bye now."

After watching him drive off, I do the same, hoping to be able to speak with one or both of the detectives working Damon's case.

* * *

"Miss Gilbert, come on in."

Detective Saltzman pulls out a chair, motioning for me to take a seat.

"How can I help you today?"

"The judge rejected Damon's guilty plea which means I'm trying to get some kind of a defense prepared for him. I'm sure you're more than aware that Eleanor Fell isn't going to win any mother of the year awards anytime soon. Did you or your partner interview her after the murder and if so, where was she the night her husband was allegedly killed by Damon?"

"You're right about her parenting abilities. I understand that her minor child was placed with a family in Murrells Inlet."

"Yes, she's in the custody of my parents."

"Really?"

"Damon lived with my family for seven years when he was a young boy. To this day, I don't know why she gave custody of him to my parents. When he was twelve years old, Eleanor took back custody of him. Somehow we lost touch with him afterwards. Anyway, Stefanie is doing well. My parents have taken her for counseling given what we know about what Logan Fell."

"Yeah," he says, letting out a breath.

"So, Detective Saltzman, does Mrs. Fell have an alibi for the night of the murder?"

"No. She claims she was out partying but no one can vouch for her. That's another reason as to why I'm not quite ready to close this case."

"Why is that?"

"I don't know, there's something about that woman that rubs me the wrong way. She was too flamboyant, in that I mean she was over the top when I told her that her husband was dead."

"Really? Do tell."

"Elena, I don't really know how to explain. I know that grief affects people differently, we all have our own ways of dealing with it but... I don't know, it's just a gut feeling."

"I would appreciate any help that you can give me. Please keep in touch."

Nodding, he stands up at the same time that I do and walks me out of his office.

* * *

Glad that it's finally the weekend, I drive to Murrells Inlet to spend the weekend at my parents house. It really isn't far from Myrtle Beach, only about twenty miles so I could easily drive back home after spending an afternoon but I prefer to spend the night if I can. Ours is an extremely tight family although Jeremy seems to prefer to spend all of his time with his girlfriend of late. But that's okay, I was the same way in high school with the boyfriend I had at the time. Once I'm in the house, I hang my jacket on the coat rack and set my bag down before going to look for everyone. Finding mom in the kitchen, I walk over to her and press a kiss to her cheek.

"Hi sweetheart. How was the drive?"

"Not bad. I'm just tired, I had a busy week. Mom, have the police ever talked to Stefanie about the night her dad was killed?"

"Not since she's been with us. I don't know if they talked to her while she was in the custody of child protective services."

"Next time you take her to her counselor would you ask her in private if that's something I could do? I mean, I don't want to cause any setbacks for her, she's come so far."

"I know sweetheart. She's a good girl. We have to get her and Katherine registered for the school year pretty soon. And I need to get her some school clothing."

"We could take her shopping."

"That's nice, Elena but you do know that you'll have to include Katherine."

"Oh, I know that," I chuckle.

"I'm glad you realize that. The two of them do everything together. I just hope Stefanie will be okay when school starts. This is all new for her, she doesn't know any other children plus she's introverted so I hope the other kids at school won't be catty to her."

"Me too, mom. Where are the girls by the way?"

"Your dad took them to a movie. They should be home in about an hour."

"I think I'm going to walk over to Sheila Bennett's house. Bonnie texted me that she would be home this weekend too."

"Tell Sheila hello for me. What time will you be home, I'm sure the girls will be asking?"

"I'll be home for supper. Whatever you're cooking there smells good."

"I have a homemade chicken pot pie in the oven. I made two because I knew you were coming home."

"That sounds delicious. I'll see you later." I give her another kiss, grab my bag and then take off down the sidewalk, texting Bonnie as I go along.

* * *

"Hello Elena dear, how are you?" Sheila greets me when she opens the door.

"I'm good and you?" I ask, giving her a big hug.

"I'm wonderful now that both you and Bonnie are here. Come on in, sweetheart." I follow her into the house, walking over to take a seat beside Bonnie on the couch.

"Hey girl," Bonnie remarks, giving me a light hug.

"So Bonnie, how would you like to go with me to take Katherine and Stefanie shopping tomorrow?"

After raising her hands in surrender, she laughs. "Eeep!"

"Please?"

"Oh Bonnie, help a girl out," Sheila adds, taking a seat in the rocker that sits next to the couch.

"Fine, I can't fight both of you," she laughs. Joining Sheila in the kitchen, the three of us sit down for a glass of iced tea. After visiting with the two of them for a couple of hours, I leave and walk back home. As soon as I walk in the house, I'm tackled by a fifty five pound, fifty inch dynamo.

"Holy moly Katherine." Laughing out loud, I squirm when she starts to tickle my thighs, knowing they're my ticklish spot, much more so than my underarms.

"Help me, Stefanie," she squeals when I start to get the upper hand, tickling her back. Next thing I know Stef joins the fray, pulling off my sandals, tickling the bottoms of my feet.

"No fair, two against one." Suddenly Jeremy, laughing himself, trots down the stairs and lifts Katherine off of me, restraining her with his arms.

"Jeremy, you're supposed to be on my side," she pouts, struggling against him to free herself.

"Who said?"

"You heard her, Elena." He quickly puts her down, then sits on my legs so I can't get away.

"Now this really isn't fair, three on one." I writhe around, hoping to break free but its a hopeless. Finally I give up. "Uncle."

"We won, Stefanie," she yells, giving her a high five.

"Karma is a b..., Katherine."

"What's b?" she asks.

"That's for me to know and for you to dot, dot, dot."

Finally they let me up. Since I was laughing so hard, my belly hurts. I pick up my weekend bag and take it upstairs to change my clothes. Once I'm done, I join everyone in the kitchen for supper since dad is home now too. We eat and then all settle into the living room to watch a family movie. We settle on Disney's ' _Heidi'_ with Jason Robards and Noley Thornton. It was one of my favorites when I was growing up. Once the movie is done, I help take the girl's upstairs to bathe and get them ready for bed. After tucking them in, I go back downstairs to join mom and dad and Jeremy.

"How is Damon doing now that the Judge refused his guilty plea?"

"Well, mom. He was livid. He even threatened to have me removed as his attorney. He's bound and determined to plead guilty. However, I think he's not being honest with me. I think it was either in self defense or to get him off of Stefanie. Damon insists it happened after he took Stefanie to his friend, Caroline's diner. And there's the fact that his deadbeat mother is being tight-lipped about her whereabouts that night too."

"Can you make arrangements for me to go to see him too? We need to take Stefanie. That child misses him terribly."

"I know mom. I'm sure Damon would love to see you too. He's been all over the place lately. One moment, he's lashing out at me, the next he's despondent since Judge Nichols refused to accept his plea."

"Are you sure he's not guilty? I mean, he did confess after all. Who in their right mind would plead guilty to a murder they didn't commit?" Jeremy asks, taking a drink of his soda.

"I think Damon is a very complex man and I think he's hiding something. Call it instinct, call it a gut feeling but something is definitely not right in all of this. I will not give up till I figure it out. Even if he's convicted, I'm not giving up."

"That's the Gilbert spirit, sweetheart. I'm proud of you and Damon is very lucky to have you for his attorney."

"Thank you, daddy."

"Even if he's hiding something as you say, why would he plead guilty unless he did it?"

"I don't know, Jeremy. I wish I did." Just as I'm about to speak again, a blood-curdling scream reverberates through the room. Knowing that it's Stefanie, I run up the stairs, followed quickly by mom and dad. She's tossing and turning, her covers wrapped around her body like a shroud. As quickly as my feet will carry me, I run over to her. Mom dashes in behind, wrapping her in her arms, shushing her as she strokes her back.

"Wakeup sweetheart, you're safe, you're okay," mom whispers in her ear as she continues to rock her. My heart is breaking knowing that she's so haunted by what's happened to her.

"Can I do anything, mom?"

"Go make her some hot chocolate. That seems to help her settle." Nodding, I run downstairs to the kitchen to do just that. Just as I'm about to walk back upstairs with the cocoa in my hands, I notice Jeremy leaving.

"Where are you going?"

"Out with some friends. I'll see you tomorrow." Shaking my head, I hurry up the stairs, handing the cup of cocoa to my mom when I reach her room again.

"Drink up honey."

Although she still looks scared and her eyes are red and puffy, she sniffles then takes the cup from mom, sipping on it.

"Are you okay, Stefanie?"

"I want to see my brother, please? I miss him so much." she says, her eyes pleading in their intensity.

"I was going to take you and Katherine shopping tomorrow but maybe we should drive to Myrtle Beach to see Damon instead?"

"I think that is an excellent idea, Elena. We can all go and then afterwards we can go to the mall. When Stefanie yawns deeply, mom sets the cup of hot chocolate on her bedside and tucks her back in. She presses a kiss to her hair and whispers in her ear that we all love her. Unable to stop myself, I give her a kiss too. Once she turns over to go back to sleep, we all exit her room but not without turning the nightlight on. After telling mom and dad goodnight, I crawl in bed myself, somehow knowing that Stefanie holds the answer to all of this whether she realizes it or not.

* * *

 _Thank you so much Eva. I really appreciate all you do for me. She and I are hard at work on 'Nothing Left to Fear'. It's going to be a good story I think. It's one requested by a very good friend and loyal reader. She's the first one who told me that I should write stories. This story was actually based on a reader's request. She asked for a fiery Elena that has a loving family much like I usually give Damon._

 _Thank you all so much for reviewing the last chapter. I really do appreciate them. I actually had someone accuse me of NOT being a real DE supporter... I know my AU versions of Damon and Elena often aren't as they are on the show but that's why it's called 'fiction'._

 _Chapter title: 'Unholy Confessions' by Avenged Sevenfold_

 _'Dig' and 'Tears in Heaven' are still in progress._

 _Reviews are love_

 _Be safe and have a fabulous day. See you next time._


	11. Nobody's Fool

**_Thank you to the anonymous reviewers. I very much appreciate that you took a few seconds of your time to do so. To answer your question, at this point, the story is about Elena solving a case. She's doing everything in her power to free him despite Damon's lack of cooperation. Feelings are developing and I know it's slow going right now but I've been chastised, scolded, attacked more than once by some not so nice anonymous reviewers for NOT having slow burn Delena. There are several chapters to post after the murder is solved. 'Good Delena' time is on the horizon. The murderer will be revealed fairly soon but not quite yet. There is some passionate DE in this chapter._**

* * *

"Once they bring Damon into that chair, mom and I will step out so you can talk to him."

After giving Stefanie a little hug, I pull out the chair so she can sit down. I point out the phone and explain to her that she should pick it up once she sees Damon. We are in the little cubicle, a pane of bulletproof glass between us as we wait for the guards to bring Damon in. He doesn't know that we brought Stefanie to see him. We'll give her the opportunity to speak with him and then mom will join Stefanie so she can say hello to him too. Finally he steps forward, his eyes widening in shock when he sees her. I know he didn't want her to see him here but she needed to, if for nothing else than to hopefully alleviate some of her fears.

As soon as he sits down and reaches for the receiver, I pick the receiver on our side of the glass up.

"How could you bring her here?"

"Damon, she needed to see you. She misses you terribly. Listen, when she's done, don't get up, mom wants to say a few words to you. Okay? When he nods, I hand the receiver to Stefanie, stepping out of the little cubicle to give them some privacy. I can hear her crying and it takes everything in both me and mom not to go to her. That poor child has been through so much for a twelve year old. And Damon, too. I wonder at what point his life started to spiral out of control. He was Stefanie's age when that evil woman took him from us. My insides twist when I think about him even a sixteen year old Damon having to dumpster dive and steal for food. I wish there was some way that he could've reached out to us.

"Elena, Damon wants to talk to you," she says softly, walking over to where mom and I are standing.

"I suppose he's angry with me."

"Let me go, Elena."

"Mom?"

"Just let me go. I haven't gotten a chance to see him or talk to him since you found him. Please?"

"Alright. I'll wait here with Stefanie." She gives me a nod then goes into the visitation area to have a few words with him. Stefanie and I sit down while we wait.

"Do you feel better?"

"Yeah, he's mad though. He didn't want me to come here."

"Oh sweetheart. He's not mad at you. He's mad at me. Your brother loves you so very much, you know that right?"

"I know. I just want him to come home to my house."

"I'm glad you think of it as your home now because it is. We all love you, Stefanie."

"I love you too but I want Damon back."

"I'm doing everything I can to help him get out. I promise you that."

"Okay," she whispers, dropping her eyes.

"As soon as mom comes back, I'll go back to speak to Damon for a few moments, then we'll drive back home to pick up Katherine so we can go school shopping. How does that sound?"

"Good." I give her a smile then look up to see my mom walking towards us.

"How did it go?"

"We have to get him out of here. He didn't kill anyone. I asked him point blank and he hemmed and hawed and never did answer me. Elena, that boy never ever lied to me, ever. Something is seriously amiss here and we need to figure this out."

"I've been saying that almost from the beginning. He's said a few things to me that raised the hairs on the back of my neck too but I just can't fit the puzzle pieces together yet, but I will."

"I'm glad he has you. Oh dear, it's almost noon. We better get home so we can pick up Katherine. I'm sure she's giving dad a run for his money."

"No doubt," I laugh. "But let me run into talk to him for a few minutes first. I won't be long."

Mom nods and takes Stefanie out of the area, saying they'll wait for me outside.

"Damon, you wanted to see me?"

After he stares at me till I blink, he lowers his voice till it's almost lethal in intensity.

"How many times are you going to defy me?"

'Defy you? Are you serious?"

"God damn it, Elena. I asked you time and time again to keep my sister out of this. Can't you just do as I ask for once in your life?" he blurts out, his eyes not wavering from mine.

 _"Elena, stop it, that hurts."_

 _Not wanting to listen, I stick my tongue out but continue to wrestle with him.._

 _"I don't like you very much," he squeals, pushing me off of him. As soon as he's standing, he runs off. Not willing to let him win, I chase after him, shoving him out of the way when I catch up. Losing his footing, he tumbles onto the sidewalk._

 _When I hear him sniffling, I stop and walk back, immediately feeling bad when I see that his knees and an elbow are bloody from scraping the sidewalk._

 _"I told you to stop. You're a meany-head."_

 _"I am not."_

 _Once he's on his feet, he runs off towards our house, his eyes filled with tears._

 _"Momma M, Elena pushed me down," he cries. I reach the porch just as mom lifts him into her arms. Following them inside, I walk into the kitchen, finding Damon sitting on the countertop while mom cleans him up._

 _"Elena, did you push him down?"_

 _Not saying anything, I drop my eyes, wilting under the intensity of her stare._

 _"Elena, he's five years old. You know better than to be a bully."_

 _"I'm sorry, mom."_

 _"It's not me you need to say sorry to," she adds, raising her eyebrows._

 _"I'm sorry, Damon."_

 _"No you're not. I told you to stop it and you wouldn't."_

 _"I am too sorry."_

 _As soon as mom puts the Band-Aids on his knees, he scoots off the counter, ignoring me as he walks away._

 _"Damon, don't be mad to me anymore. I'll play trucks with you."_

 _"I get the mixer truck."_

When I hear my name, I'm snapped out of the memories of him that I still carry. They're tiny treasures that I open and look at once in awhile before tucking them away in a safe place till I can revel in them again at a later time.

With my fuse lit, I'm not about to back down.

"Talk about the pot calling the kettle black," I snap, my voice rising with each syllable that escapes my lips.

"Don't go there, Elena. You work for me, not the other way around. I'm not some mind-numbed robot that you can order around. It's my life and I get to decide what I want to do with it."

"You're a lot of things, Damon, but I never thought of you as a coward."

"I'm a coward now? That's rich," he sneers, shaking his head back and forth.

"Yes, you're a coward. Instead of fighting for your freedom, you're just giving up. If you'd rather wallow away in a six foot by six foot cell for the rest of your natural life, be my guest but I won't be a party to it."

"Elena?"

"No, Damon, if you want a new attorney, one who will bend over and grab the ankles, have at it."

Having had enough of this conversation, I break our stare when I get up to leave. As soon as I turn around, I hear his voice.

"Look, I'm not going to ask for a new attorney yet but you need to start respecting my wishes. And as angry as I am at you for bringing her here, she does seem happy. So thank you for that."

Dropping my chin to my chest, I give him an almost imperceptible nod before walking out. Knowing without doubt that he's harboring one hell of a big secret, I walk into the bathroom for a few minutes to compose myself. Every instinct I have is telling me that Stefanie is the key, but whether she's conscious of that, I don't know. Sucking in a deep cleansing breath, I wash my hands then walk outside to rejoin my family. When I reach them, I hold my hand out for Stefanie. As soon as she latches on, the three of us trot down the concrete staircase and then walk to our car, her hand still clutched tightly in mine.

* * *

"Mommy, can I have this dress?" Katherine asks, strutting around for my mom when she walks out of the store's dressing room.

"Yes, sweetheart, it's very pretty. But we need to get you some jeans, tops and new shoes too."

"Do you like it Elena?"

"Yes, you look like a princess. When I turn back to the dress rack featuring Stefanie's size, I look through the selection finally finding one that I think will look nice on her. Lifting the hanger off the rack, I hold it up and show it mom and Stefanie who's sitting beside her.

"This one would look really cute on you, Stefanie. What do you think Bonnie?" She drove to the mall herself, meeting up with us in the café court when we sat down for lunch earlier.

"You should try it on Stefanie. It's really a cute pattern."

"Can I?" she asks mom, her voice excited but timid at the same time.

"Yes, honey, you can go try it on. Then we'll go find some jeans and accessories too."

"Thank you."

Taking the dress from my hand, she walks into the changing room, taking the room that Katherine just vacated.

"That's really pretty, Steffie," Katherine says, touching the fabric with her hands.

"Thanks." She smiles widely, closing the door so she can put the dress on. When she comes out, she looks so happy. I quickly grab my phone and snap a picture for Damon. I know he'll love to see such a happy smile on her face.

"You look like a princess too." Bonnie squeals, clapping.

"I agree." Taking her hand, I twirl her around then tell her to go change into her own clothes so we can find her and Katherine some shoes. We spend the rest of the afternoon in the mall. Each of the girls got three pairs of jeans, new sneakers, several tops and a the dresses. From there we went to Target to get their school supplies and backpacks. When Stefanie motions to whisper something in my ear, I bend down, smiling when she tells me she likes to look at the makeup. A girl after my own heart. I have been a makeup junkie since I was a little girl myself.

Taking her hand, we walk through that section and I let her pick out a couple of things with a promise to help her with it. Finally we have everything on our list. After saying goodbye to Bonnie, the four of us go home, dropping onto the couch completely exhausted when we walk into the house. Of course the human dynamo also known as Katherine, is just getting her second wind.

Grabbing my hand, she tugs on my arm till I'm standing up, demanding that I play makeup with her and Stefanie. Sighing heavily, I follow them up to my room. After getting my makeup out, I have them each sit on the bed while I put makeup on both of them. By the time I'm done, they both look like little diva's.

"Well look at my two little girls," daddy remarks when he walks into my room.

"Look daddy, Elena made us pretty."

"She did indeed."

"Me too," Stefanie asks, smiling shyly.

"You look beautiful indeed, Stef. Now why don't you two let Elena put her things away?"

"Okay daddy. Come on, Steffie," Katherine says, grabbing her hand and pulling her out of my room. Collapsing onto the bed, I blow out a heavy breath.

"Tired?"

"Have you ever taken your daughter shopping? The girl is the energizer bunny on steroids," I scoff, shaking my head. He laughs hysterically, giving my leg a squeeze. He asks me about Damon and his case. I tell him what I know and about having to meet with the DA on Monday. After cautioning me to take care of myself, he gets up, leaving me alone with my thoughts, Damon chief amongst them.

* * *

"Hello Mr. Williams," I greet him when I'm shown into his office.

"Good afternoon, Miss Gilbert. How are you?"

"I'm well. Yourself?"

"I haven't heard anything from Judge Nichols yet, have you?" I ask, wondering why I was summoned here this morning.

"No, neither have I. But I hear you've been snooping around, asking about alibis and witnesses and so forth?"

"Isn't that my job as his defense attorney?"

"Yes, but he pled guilty. Why are you trying to save a killer?"

"I don't think this is an appropriate conversation. I'm going to go now."

Standing up, I turn around and take a couple of steps towards the door. Just as I reach it, he latches onto my wrist, pulling me back.

"I want to know why you're trying to free a self confessed killer?"

"You are overstepping your bounds. But if you must know, I don't believe Damon killed anybody. Now if you'll excuse me?"

Scowling, I yank my hand out of his arm. I know that he knows that I mean business when I hear the apologetic tone of his voice.

"Miss Gilbert, Elena. I'm sorry. I just never expected the judge to reject his guilty plea. We may offer him a plea deal. Are you open to that?" Sighing heavily, I turn back around to face him.

"That will be a decision for my client to make. Now, I really need to go."

"I'll be in touch," I hear him utter, just as I'm pulling his office door shut behind me.

* * *

"Elena?"

"How are you, Damon? Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine. Have you heard anymore from the Judge? When do we go back to court?"

"From what I understand, he's still going over your file. I talked to the DA a couple of days ago and he hadn't heard anything either. However, he did want to know why I'm defending a self-confessed killer?"

I watch closely as he drops his eyes, retreating into himself again. Extending my hands forward, I take his in mine.

"I told him that he was being inappropriate. The last time that I saw him, I was still engaged to Tyler. Now I'm not. But anyway, he's a man of the law, he knows every defendant is allowed to mount a defense."

"The thing is, Elena. I don't want to mount a defense. I'm guilty."

"Yeah and I'm Peter Pan," I scoff, pulling my hands away.

"How's Stef?"

"Mom got her registered for school. She should be a sixth grader given her age but she'll be starting in fifth grade based on her aptitude test. Didn't your mother send her to school?"

"My DNA donor had no business being a mother. Stefanie had to fend for herself after they kicked me out. I helped her whenever I could, sneaking into the house when I knew they weren't around. I failed her."

"How can you say that? She's a wonderful little girl. Where would she be if you hadn't tried to help her? What did her father do to her, Damon?"

"He beat me almost from the time they took me from your house. He'd come into my room at night but even at that age, I fought him. I wasn't going to let that bastard touch me. But Stefanie wasn't as strong. She's just a little kid," he whispers. When I look up, I see him wiping tears from the corners of his eyes. He deserved to die for what he did to her and I'm not sorry that he's dead."

"Did he rape her or just touch her inappropriately?"

"I don't think it ever went as far as rape but still. She was his daughter. How could he do that?"

"Damon, I don't know. Is that why you killed him? It gives us something to work on for your defense. Do you think Stefanie would talk to the judge?"

"No, no, no. Don't you dare put that burden on her. Just don't or so help me, Elena."

"What are you going to do big shot? Do you really think I would do anything to hurt her? I love your little sister. My family loves your little sister. Never would I do anything to compromise her mental health. And I would talk to her counselor before even mentioning it to her. How dare you?"

"I don't want her involved in any way, shape or form. Do you understand?" he sneers, his face contorted in anger.

"Damon, calm down."

No, Elena. This is my life. Mine! You don't get to decide this," he yells, banging his fists on the table top. Hearing Damon yell, the guard barges in to see what's going on. Sighing heavily, I drop my eyes and shake my head. The guard releases Damon from his shackles so he can lead him out of the room. Just before the guard pushes him out, he turns back to me, his eyes blazing with anger.

"Just so you know, Elena, this conversation is far from over."

Our eyes join for a few endless seconds, the spell broken when the guard shoves him out of the room.

* * *

"Matt?" I greet him when I take a seat in his booth at Caroline's diner.

"Hey Elena. I took the liberty of ordering you a cup of coffee."

"Thanks, I could use something a little stronger but coffee will have to do till I get home this evening."

"What's up?"

"Damon.. he's upset that the judge hasn't decided whether or not to accept his guilty plea yet. He wants it over with."

"The man is as pigheaded as the day is long."

"You have no idea," I add, shaking my head.

"What set him off today?"

"He was telling me a little bit about his stepfather. He practically gave me a defense to mount, telling me what a monster Fell was to both him and Stefanie. When I suggested that maybe Stefanie could tell her story, he erupted."

"Elena, he'll protect her at all costs even if it means spending the rest of his life in prison."

"I know that, Matt. I erupted too. You know I would never compromise her emotional help. I'm not going to let him deter me though. I'm going to talk to her counselor. I know he can't give me specifics about her care but I can ask him about it and perhaps he could talk to her?"

"You want to know what I think?"

"Yeah," I add, taking a big slog of my coffee.

"I think you'll do anything and everything in your power to save him from himself. I happen to agree with you by the way. Stefanie is delicate and we need to do this in such a way that it won't damage the progress she's made."

"I agree wholeheartedly, Matt. I'm not going to say anything to Damon until I know whether or not the counselor feels she's up to it."

"And that, my friend is probably the best idea you've had so far," he laughs, taking a drink from his cough.

"Hello Matt, Elena," Caroline greets us when she walks over to refill our cups.

"How is Damon? Matt told me that he'd been in the hospital a while back. I kind of miss the kid."

"He's much better physically but emotionally is quite another story."

"He's not really a kid anymore, Caroline," Matt adds.

"I know that but he's stayed here on and off since he was sixteen. I still think of him as a kid. And how is Stefanie?" she asks, turning to me.

"She's doing very well. She'll be starting school at the end of the month. Believe it or not, she likes my dad a lot. Often he's the one to comfort her when she has a nightmare."

"That poor child is still having nightmares?"

"My mom told me they're not quite as frequent so that's a good thing."

"I'm glad. That little girl has had a tough life. That lousy excuse for a mother was more concerned about that monster she married than her own flesh and blood. Some people just shouldn't be allowed to procreate," she scoffs, running a hand through her hair. Matt and I both nod, agreeing with her. Caroline visits with us for a little while yet, finally leaving to go to take care of another customer. Once we finish our coffee, Matt, as usual, walks me to my car, pushing the door closed when I get seated.

"Has Nick talked to Eleanor yet?"

"I haven't talked to him. Why don't we go over there and check in with him?"

"I can't today, Elena. I need to get home. I could meet your there around three tomorrow afternoon. I have some kids to get caught up with but my last appointment is at two."

"Alright, I'll see you there. Bye now," I whisper, rolling up my window and driving away.

* * *

It's been a long day and I'm tired. Once I'm showered and have my pajamas on, I go out to the kitchen to pour myself a glass of wine. Yawning widely, I take it with me to the bedroom, setting it on my bedside while I crawl in. As tired as I am, I want to drink my wine so I turn the TV on, hoping to find something good to watch. Laying in bed, I sip my wine till it's all gone. Unable to keep my eyes open any longer, I turn out the light and slink down in bed, pulling the covers over me. In minutes, I'm whisked off to dreamland.

 _"Wee. Push me, Damon," I yell excitedly, pumping with my knees to go even higher._

 _"Okay." He does, he pushes even harder against my back each time the swing sways in his direction._

 _"I'm gonna parachute."_

 _"Be careful, Elena. You're up pretty high."_

 _"Catch me," I squeal, slowing down a little as I get ready to jump. When I look down, I see him standing in front of me._

 _"Ready?" He shakes his head up and down, extending his hands. And then I jump, landing on top of him. We stare at each other for a few seconds. Suddenly an idea pops into my head. Before I talk myself out of it, I press my lips to his, giving him a quick kiss. I smile when he looks awed, his hand reaching up to touch his lips._

I wake up with a start, my own hand touching my lips, smiling as I remember our first kiss. Even then I could feel the sparks when our lips met. Shaking my head, I lay back down and close my eyes, hoping my dreams will take me back to that special place.

* * *

 _Thank you, Eva for everything. I would truly be lost without your friendship, wise council and stellar mind._

 _Thank you so much, all of you, for taking the time to read and review. They really mean so much to me._

 _Chapter title: 'Nobody's Fool' by Cinderella_

 _'Dig' and 'Tears in Heaven' are still in progress. I would love to hear your thoughts on those as well._

 _Please remember to click that little REVIEW button._

 _I think the best part of the DE fandom for me has been all of the friendships I've made through fan fiction and a DE website (elenadamon . com). For some inexplicable reason, it vanished into cyberspace at the commencement of S7. I haven't met a one of you in person but you're all very dear to me nonetheless._

 _Be safe and I hope you all have a fabulous weekend. Thank you again for supporting me and my stories._


	12. I Can't Escape Myself

**_Happy Birthday, Eva. I hope you have a truly fabulous day. Love you, girl!_**

* * *

"Good morning, dear," my mother greets me when I walk into the kitchen the next morning.

"Morning." Before reaching for a coffee mug, I lean over to give her a peck on the cheek. Just before I pour myself a cup, I look out the window. It's a beautiful day, I smile when I see some black birds indulging in mom's bird feeder. Leaning back against the counter, I give my mom a tight smile before taking a sip.

"Is there something on your mind?"

"I want to speak to Stefanie's counselor. I mean, I know she can't be specific because of confidentiality rules but I want to know if she could testify for her brother without having a setback? That's the last thing I would want, you know, wipe out all the progress she's made but it's the only trump card I have right now to save Damon."

"I think it's a good idea to get Dr. Fleming's opinion before asking Stefanie to be involved in all of this."

"I'm certain that she'd want to help Damon but I don't want her to crack on the witness stand either."

"I agree, Elena. That child has been through enough in her twelve years to last a lifetime. But don't they make special arrangements for young children to testify?"

"Yes, mom. I'm sure the prosecutor would agree to let her testify via closed circuit or perhaps in Judge Nichol's chambers."

"That's good. As much as I want you to free Damon, I'll miss her terribly if she leaves to move in with him."

"I know mom. But even if I do get him off, he'll need to find a job and a place for her. I think she'll be here until he can get back on his feet but we'll just have to cross that bridge when we come to it, okay? I ask, giving her hand a squeeze.

"You're right. I do want what's best for both of them. If nothing else, Damon could stay here for awhile too. There is that space above the garage that could be made into an apartment."

"I'll keep that in mind, mom. But again, I have to get him out of jail first."

With my mind only on Damon, I blow out a puff of air before swallowing what's left in my cup. After filling it again, I sit my cup down before opening the fridge door to see if there's something good to eat for breakfast.

* * *

"Miss Gilbert, Dr. Fleming will see you now."

Nodding, I get up and follow the receptionist as she leads me into the office of Stefanie's counselor. Looking around, I smile at the almost soothing ambience of her office. The walls are painted a soft white. A large floor to ceiling window has vertical blinds, the view overlooking the Atlantic is quite simply beautiful. Staring out the window, I jump slightly when I hear her say my name.

"Do come in, Miss Gilbert," she says, raising her eyes to mine.

"Forgive me, I'm literally mesmerized by the view."

"It is lovely isn't it? That view is the main reason why I selected this office. Sometimes, it's just so calming."

"I can't argue with that. And thank you for seeing me on such short notice. Let me preface this by saying that I know you can't violate the doctor-patient relationship but I hope what I want to ask you won't do that."

"Have a seat. How can I help you?"

"Please know that I care about Stefanie deeply. But I believe that if she could testify about how depraved her father was, perhaps it would plant the seeds of doubt for the jury. It could help me keep her brother out of prison. She and her brother are extremely close. Damon will be furious with me for even suggesting it but I'm certain Stefanie doesn't want him to be sent to prison for the rest of his life either."

When I look up, she has her fingers tented, resting her chin against the tips.

"I happen to agree with you. She loves her brother very much. She has already made a lot of progress. I'm sure this isn't violating my oath because I know that your mother is aware of the same. Her nightmares are diminishing. I will talk to Stefanie when I see her again tomorrow. If she gives me permission to speak with you about our session, I will. I'm certain she'd want to help her brother in any way she can."

"Thank you, Dr. Fleming."

Standing up, I give her my business card after writing my personal cellphone number on the back of it. Taking it in hand, she stands up to walk me out.

"I'll be in touch, Miss Gilbert."

"Please call me anytime. I just really want to be able to reunite Damon and Stefanie. They're both very important to me."

"I believe you. Goodbye now."

"Thank you for your time." I shake her hand then step out of her office, nodding at the receptionist when I pass her on my way out.

* * *

Although I don't really want to get into an argument with Damon again, I have been informed by the jailer that he's asking to speak to me. Dropping my face into my hands, I just breathe and allow myself to ponder everything for a few moments. There is so much brewing in my head where he's concerned. Every time I'm with him, my pulse starts to jackhammer inside of my chest. Between his commanding presence and the memories that keep popping up, I just don't know what it all means. When I finally lift my head, I notice the clock on the wall. As the seconds pass, I blow out a breath and stand up, knowing that I have to go to see him. After grabbing my bag and car keys, I tell my secretary that I'm leaving. Once I arrive, I notify the jailer that I'm here to see my client. I'm then escorted into the interrogation room. Although my guard is up, I have no choice but to make eye contact as soon as I pull a chair up to the table.

"You wanted to see me, Damon?" I ask, my voice indifferent sounding. I'm still feeling more than a little irate after his most recent meltdown. Although I try to avoid his eyes, I can't seem to help myself. I don't understand why he can spark unbridled rage in me one minute and in the next I'm falling captive to his piercing blue eyes. Rather than trying to fight the magnetic-like pull, I turn away, averting my gaze to the stark windowless walls instead. It's only when he starts to speak that I turn to face him.

"Have you talked to Stef?" he asks, his voice anxious. I don't miss how he's constantly knotting his hands together, nor the way, he rakes one of them repeatedly through his messy locks. When our eyes meet, he falters just a bit before dropping them to his clenched hands. Against my better judgement, I reach across the table to place my hands on his. Feeling tingles erupt where our skins are joined, I'm stunned into momentary silence. When I look up, I don't miss the uneasiness reflected back at me. Unable to hold my gaze, his dart from my hands to my face and back to my hands before he yanks them away. Looking as if I stung him, he rubs his palms violently on the material of his prison garb. Sighing heavily, I drop my chin to my chest in frustration.

"Well?"

"Damon, I talked to her counselor."

"What? How can you do that? And furthermore, I told you to leave Stefanie the hell out of it. I mean it, Elena, I don't want her anywhere near that courtroom," he snaps, turning the full force of his hypnotic gaze on me.

"You don't need to keep yelling at me. I didn't do anything wrong."

It takes every ounce of self control I have to stop myself from throttling him. I'm so angry that my knuckles are white as I grip the seat of my chair.

"Elena, I swear..." I can almost see his nostrils flaring while at the same time an angry flush colors his features as he continues to lambaste me, his tone venomous.

"Swear what, Damon? You have no right to treat me like I'm nothing more than a spider that you can squash between your fingers. I won't have you treating me like this," I sneer, fighting every instinct I have to keep from dropping my eyes.

"If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times, I don't want Stefanie to have anything to do with my case. God damn it, Elena, please..."

It's only then that I finally see a hint of vulnerability in his eyes.

"I repeat, I did nothing wrong, Damon. I only spoke to her counselor. The only thing she told me was that her nightmares are lessening which I already knew from what my mom and dad have told me. She did not violate Stefanie's confidence."

Sucking in a breath of air, he looks at me again. Every time I look into his eyes, I feel like Alice falling through the looking glass. My mind is caught up in a vortex of contradictory emotions where he's concerned. I don't begin to know what it is but just as I'm about to lose myself in their depths for the umpteenth time, he speaks, snapping me out of my reverie.

"What's taking that idiot Judge so long anyway? I want to be sentenced so I never have to see you again."

Swallowing thickly, it takes everything in me to shift the mask back into place. I don't want to give him the satisfaction of knowing how much his words hurt. After taking a deep breath, I fist my hands silently, unwilling to let him get a rise out of me again.

"Are you done?"

"No, I'm not done. I told you that this is my life to live as I see fit. I don't want my sister to have anything to do with this nor do I want her anywhere near the courtroom."

"Well guess what, Damon? She has everything to do with it and you and I both know it. You can try to separate from her as hard as you want but you know damn well, she's a big part of this whole cluster fuck. You may not care if you have to languish in prison for the rest of your life and be shower fodder for Guido but I do and so does your sister."

"KEEP. HER. OUT. OF. IT," he screams, flying out of his chair, pacing as far as his ankle shackle will allow, the clinking of the chains echoing in the room.

"You're acting like a child."

I can see the light sheen of sweat on his forehead. He's as anxious as he can be at the thought of Stefanie testifying which sets off all kinds of red flags for me. He's literally out of control and why would he be if he wasn't afraid of what she might say. Once he composes himself, he gets right back into my face.

"I want a new attorney."

"Fine, you want a new attorney, I'll get you a new attorney. But you know what, I'm still going to do everything in my power to free you whether you cooperate or not."

"You can't do that."

"Watch me," I snap, getting up to knock on the door so the guard can let me leave.

"Elena, don't," he warns, glaring at me with a look so scathing that it causes my heart to gallop against my ribcage, literally taking my breath away.

"Don't what?"

It's then that for whatever reason, he visibly deflates right in front of my eyes. Against my better judgement, I sit back down. Tentatively, I reach across the table to cover his left hand with my right one. His eyes snap to mine and for a millisecond, I see a blend of anger, fear and shock pass through them before he violently pulls it away and out of my reach.

"I don't want a different attorney but I want you to leave Stef alone, please don't make her do anything. Don't bring her into this at all."

"Damon, I'll do what her counselor suggests is best for her. I have to go." I give him one last look, the battle of wills reflected in our eyes broken only when the guard opens the door. Once outside, I deflate myself, sliding down into a chair. Dropping my face into my hands, I sit there long enough to get my composure back. Even if it means losing him, I won't let him pay for a crime that I'm certain he didn't commit.

* * *

"Come in Bonnie." Pulling my door open, I step aside so she can come inside.

"You seemed kind of down in the dumps so I thought I'd run by to check on you. Are you okay?"

"I'm honestly exhausted. And Damon is driving me insane," I utter, running my fingers through my hair. After pushing the door shut, I walk over to her.

"Would you like a glass of wine?"

"That sounds wonderful."

"I'll be right back. I reach into the cupboard for a couple of glasses and then get my bottle of Moscato from the fridge, pouring us each a glass. I grab the bottle and the two glass, handing her one as I sit down on the other end of the couch.

"Do you want to tell me what's wrong?"

"Damon. Gosh, Bonnie, I know he's hiding something and there's no doubt in my mind that it's related to Stefanie. I think she knows something but I can't and won't question her until I hear something from her doctor."

"Did you talk to her counselor?"

"I did. She couldn't betray Stefanie's trust of course but she said she'd talk to her about being a character witness for Damon. I just have a feeling in my gut that this murder is more complicated than Damon is willing to admit."

"She's a sweet little girl. And from what you told me, the bastard got what he deserved."

"He did indeed. I asked Damon is it went as far as rape, he said that he didn't think it had. He loves her so much and he feels like he failed to protect her. I only hope he's right that Fell's abuse didn't include violating her in such a horrific way. It would kill me to know that her monster of a father could've done that."

"I have no experience with it, Elena, but as a woman, I don't know that she'd snap back as well as she has if her father actually went there with her. But then again, everyone is different. I may have a completely different reaction than you would to the same event. She's such a strong girl."

"She is indeed."

"Are you hungry? We could have some Chinese delivered or pizza?"

"Chinese sounds good. I get up and grab my stack of delivery menus from the junk drawer in my kitchen. I toss them to her and grab a couple myself. After ordering, we sit back and drink our wine as we wait for our food to be delivered.

"How are things with Wes?"

"They're good. He'll be home this weekend so don't call!" she laughs. Raising my arms in surrender, I laugh right along with her. Hearing a rap on the door, I grab my wallet so I can pay for our food. I give him the money along with a tip and then I carry it to the end table in front of the couch. The two of us dig in, stuffing ourselves with the delicious food. We visit for quite awhile till Bonnie decides to go home. I walk her out to my apartment entrance, watching from the door till she's safely in her car before going back to my place. After cleaning up the mess, I pour myself another glass of wine before retiring for the evening.

* * *

"Elena, I want to go to see the stingrays," Katherine squeals, tugging me down the hall with one hand while Stefanie tugs on the other. Since mom had plans to spend the day with a couple of her lady friends, dad and I decided to bring the girls to 'Ripley's Aquarium'. We're on our way to the area where they have the rays. They have spotted eagle rays, cownose rays and southern rays. On the shallower end of the tank, we can touch them. After watching them glide through the water and oohing and awing at the bonnethead and the leopard sharks that swim amongst the rays. It's really a fabulous aquarium. Of course Katherine has been here before but apparently, Stef hasn't been. It's heartwarming to see her little face light up excitedly as she sees each new sea creature.

When we get to rainbow rock, Stefanie squeals and points to 'Nemo', the clownfish. They have salt water fish of every color. Stefanie is completely captivated. Continuing to see the exhibits, we make our way to 'Dangerous Reef'. Both of the girls are standing next to the tank, their mouths hanging wide open when the sand tiger shark swims in front of them, his mouth full of razor sharp teeth on full display. There's also a nurse shark and a sandbar shark swimming in the tank along with green moray eels and tarpon.

The Amazon area has poison dart frogs, arapaima, piranhas and catfish. The poison frogs are colors of brilliant blue and green. It's too bad they're so poisonous. The Piranhas are scary when a movie shows us what they're capable of. Although I turn up my nose, dad and I follow the girls to the 'Slime' area. Banana slugs, frogs, toads, mudpuppies and lobsters are part of this exhibit. Once we're through with most of the aquarium, we go to 'Fancy Fins Mermaid boutique'. The girls each get their hair done however they want it. The staff apply shimmering makeup and they each get a beauty bag with a compact, comb and mirror along with some fashion jewelry and 'I'm a Ripley's Mermaid' tee shirt. Deciding what the heck, we have them get their picture taken. I ask for extra copies so I can give Damon one too.

"Look Elena," Stefanie says, pulling me toward a sign advertising sleeping with sharks.

"Maybe sometime we can do that? Do you want to sleep with the sharks?" In awe, she doesn't answer me but nods her head up and down. After a visit to the cargo hold gift shop, we head outside to our car and drive back to Murrells Inlet to call it a day. Once the girls settle down, I retreat to my room to take a nap. Running around after two young girls is tiring to say the least. I'll get up later and help mom make supper. I'll be going home in the morning as I have to meet up with Nick and Matt. I'm hoping that Nick was successful in getting some information out of Eleanor Fell. Just as I close my eyes, I hear my phone vibrate.

"Hello?"

"Miss Gilbert?"

"Yes, this is Elena Gilbert. Who is this?"

"Dr. Fleming. I wanted to talk to you about Stefanie. Without breaking a confidence, I do believe that she could now testify for her brother. I would like you to talk to the prosecuting attorney about letting her testify in private though. I think most Judge's are amenable to that when children are involved."

"I definitely will. Thank you, Dr. Fleming. Do you think you could be with her when she testifies? I mean, I think it would be easier if you and perhaps my parents are with her when it's time?"

"Yes, I'd be glad to be there for her but you'll have to give me advance notice."

"Absolutely. Thank you so much. I'll be in touch." I click off the phone, holding it to my chest while I breathe in a heady gasp of air. This is such good news for Damon but I know he'll blow a gasket so maybe I'll have to keep this news to myself for now. I get up to use the bathroom before crawling back in bed, my eyes dropping closed almost immediately.

* * *

"Nick, Matt, come on in." This time we're all meeting at my office. I get up to get them each a cup of coffee. Once we all have a cup, I sit back in my chair, my eyes focusing on Nick.

"Were you able to hook up with Eleanor?"

"I've had her under surveillance. The woman is drinking and snorting and having a grand old time."

"Really? She's into drugs too?"

"Yep. You saw her home, Elena. It's a dump," Matt adds.

"Correct me if I'm wrong but it sounds like her husband's death has been a net positive for her?"

"I tend to agree," Nick adds, taking a sip from his coffee cup. Running my tongue along my teeth, I'm deep in thought till I hear Matt speak up.

"The deeper we get into this, it just seems to me that it all fits together in a neat little box a little too perfectly, if you know what I mean. However, Damon has insisted all along that he's guilty, no ifs, ands or buts about it. He may very well have killed Fell but I have to believe there's more to it than he's willing to admit."

"I think that you're right, Matt. I talked to him about having Stefanie testify in his favor if nothing else than maybe to give him a lighter sentence. He went completely ballistic."

"Do tell?"

"He yelled at me, paced as far as his shackles would allow and pounded his fists violently on the table top. He even went so far as to tell me he wanted a new attorney."

"Damon has always had a temper," Matt acknowledges.

"Why is he so adamant about his sister not testifying? I mean, you would think he'd want to be around to see her grow up rather than having to see her through barred windows. I know I'm being facetious but..."

"That's another curiosity, Nick. I know for a fact that he's not being above board with me. He's unnaturally angry that the Judge hasn't decided on his guilty plea yet."

"Really? Are you going to have the sister testify?" Nick asks, standing up to refill his cup of coffee.

"I talked to her counselor a few days ago. She believes Stefanie can testify if she's allowed to do so privately. She's a young child, I believe the Judge would agree to that."

"Judge Nichols is a good man, Elena. We're lucky he was the one assigned to Damon's case," Matt adds. Swallowing the last of his coffee, he gets up to refill his as well.

"I'm going to talk to Stefanie and then I'll make an appointment with him. I have no doubt that she'll want to help him."

"I agree, Elena. But listen, I have to go to meet with a couple of my kids. Keep in touch," Matt says. Nick gets up and follows him out, turning around when he gets to my door.

"I'm not giving up yet, Elena. I can feel it in my bones that something isn't right with all of this and even if Damon did plunge the knife in, I have to believe there was some mitigating circumstance, namely his sister."

"You think he's trying to protect her?"

"Damon loves his sister immeasurably. Maybe the bastard went after her again and Damon finally reached his breaking point with the guy. Of course, he'd want Stefanie as far removed from this as possible."

Nodding, I get up to walk him out. "Thank you Nick." He gives my shoulder a squeeze then turns and walks off, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

* * *

" _Make the shot, Damon," I scream, sitting on the bleachers while I watch him dribble the ball down the court. He gets under the net, leaps and makes the basket. Clapping wildly, I smile widely at my dad who's sitting beside me. As the other team starts taking the ball down the court, Damon steals the ball, quickly tossing it to his teammate as he runs down the court to our team's hoop._

 _"Come on Timberwolves," dad yells, clapping with me. Just as Jeff is about to make the basket, the other team steals the ball and starts moving the ball towards the other end of the court. The score is 42-41, they lead with forty seconds left. The guy on the other team shoots but misses allowing Damon to steal the basketball again. Running down the court, he shoots and scores, giving us the lead._

 _"Woo hoo, Damon," I yell, clapping as hard as I can, even jumping up and down on my bleacher seat. The other team gets the ball back but their player shoots and misses just as the clock runs out, meaning that Damon made the winning basket._

 _As the crowd disperses, dad and I run down to the gym floor. I pull Damon into a big hug. He's so happy, his smile a mile wide. Dad gives him a hug too, congratulating him._

 _"You did it, Damon. I'm so proud of you."_

 _"Thanks papa," he says excitedly._

 _"Why don't you go shower and change and then the three of us will go to Dairy Queen to celebrate."_

 _"Alright." He high fives me, then trots of the court, disappearing into the boys locker room. I turn to dad giving him a big hug myself._

 _"He really did it, daddy. He won the game._

"Elena?" I fly up when I feel someone's hand on my shoulder, relaxing when I realize that it's my secretary.

"I didn't mean to startle you but you dozed off."

"No, it's fine. I'm glad you did." After slipping my shoes on, I pick up my purse. After telling my secretary goodbye for the day, I leave to go to see Damon before going back to Murrells Inlet for the weekend. Although I know I need to talk to Stefanie, I dread having to bring all of this up to her. I don't want her to relapse but Dr. Fleming did say that she was stable. Driving over to the jail, I bring along a picture of Stefanie in her mermaid garb to give to Damon. When he refuses to see me, I have no choice but to leave. Although frustrated and angry with him, I give the jailer the photo. With their assurance that he'll get it, I leave to drive home, my nerves on alight with everything that's playing in my mind.

* * *

"Stefanie, can I talk to you?"

"You want to talk to me all alone?" she looks at me with those big blue eyes of hers that are so much like Damon's.

"Yes, it's about Damon."

"I miss him so much."

"I know you do sweetheart. And there's a way that maybe you can help him. That's what I want to talk to you about."

"Okay." I take her hand and the two of us walk into her room and sit on the bed.

"I want to know if you think that you could talk to the Judge about what a good brother Damon is for you. Honey, he could go to jail for the rest of his life. I'm trying to help him but he's not being very cooperative."

"He could never get out?" she asks, her voice fearful sounding.

"That's right. Now if you can help him, I'm going to ask the Judge if you can talk to him privately. I mean, you wouldn't have to do it in front of a bunch of people. Just you and me and the other attorney. Mom and dad can be there with you and so can Dr. Fleming if you want."

"I want to help him."

"I know. You think about it okay? We'll talk with mom and dad tomorrow. Is that alright?" She nods forcefully. It's bedtime so I tuck her in, press a kiss to her forehead and then go to bed myself. Mom and dad went away for the weekend, leaving me to babysit because they knew Jeremy would be too preoccupied with his girlfriend to stay home with the girls. I don't know how much time has passed because I dozed off with my book in hand. When I hear her screaming, I jump out of bed to go to her. I pull her into my arms, crawling in bed so I can hold her close and rock her gently. Not wanting her to hyperventilate due to her near hysteria, I stroke her hair and press kisses to the crown of her head. I breathe a sigh of relief when Katherine doesn't come flying into the bedroom.

"Sweetheart, you're safe, you're okay."

Finally when she calms down slightly, she looks at me fearfully, her hands fisting the covers.

"Honey, what's wrong?" I ask, cradling her cheek with my palm.

"I think it was me.. I killed him," she whispers, her voice barely audible. Not sure I heard what I think I heard, I ask her to repeat herself.

"I think I killed my dad. He was lowering his zipper. I.. I.. picked up a knife.. I...I stabbed him," she blurts out, her voice gasping from her tears. Completely stunned and unable to speak, I just pull her back into my arms, whispering over and over again that everything will be alright...

* * *

 _I really love Stefanie and how much Damon cares for her. I like this Katherine almost as much as big sister Katherine in 'Rainy Days & Mondays'_

 _Thank you so much, Eva. You're the absolute best and I know without you, these stories wouldn't exist._

 _And a huge thanks to all of you for reviewing. It really only takes a couple of seconds and they do mean the world to me. And thank you anonymous reviews. This story is written in its entirety (as are all of my in progress stories) but I am going to try to tweak some of the chapters so they're more descriptive._

 _Chapter title: 'I Can't Escape Myself' by The Sound_

 _Please read my dear friend, Florencia7's story: 'Let There Be Light'. No one writes DE the way she does. Also NotEnoughPotter's story 'Home for the Holidays' is based on my prompt for last year's A2A Christmas exchange on LJ._

 _Please also give 'Dig' and 'Tears in Heaven' a look. I honestly thought more people would be interested in an 'Indiana Jones' Salvatore type story (Dig) but then I realized the last movie was made in 1989 so probably many of you haven't seen the movies. I don't count 'Crystal Skull', it was stupid._

 _Please remember to ** **REVIEW** **_

 _Be safe and have a wonderful day. Until next time._


	13. Love is a Battlefield

**_I was supposed to work last night but was put on call so I was awake anyway and the reason I'm awake now. I might has well just have gone to work! But I digress. For my friend, 'Until Delena Comes Back', I'm giving you an extra chapter this week. Please review._**

* * *

After talking things over with mom and dad, they assured me that they would touch base with Dr. Fleming about Stefanie's bombshell. Although I want nothing more than to stay here, I drive back to Myrtle Beach Sunday night so I could run things by Elijah the first thing Monday morning.

Once I get to my office, I shed my bag and pour myself a cup of coffee. And just like that, it again hits me smack dab in the chest as to why Damon has been so uncooperative with this whole investigation. I understand that he wants only to protect her but I know I can't keep this information to myself. But dear God, I don't want to have to put Stefanie through anymore of this ordeal either but what choice do I have? Dropping my face into my hands, I just sit here, my heart warring with my head. Even though my mind is in such a state of chaos, I can't help but remember another time when he protected me.

 _"Knock it off, Michael." I yelp when he pulls my hair for the umpteenth time. He's standing behind me as we watch football practice. I hear him snicker and when I turn around to face him, he looks straight ahead, not bothering to even look at me. I smack my lips together and turn back around to watch the guys. Seconds later, I feel another tug on my hair. Huffing, I turn around again and give him a shove. He laughs which only infuriates me all the more. Shaking my head, I give him one of those 'if looks could kill stares' before turning to watch Damon play again._

 _I start clapping wildly when Damon scores a touchdown. Even if it's just a practice game, it's still fun to see him score. As I'm clapping, my head jerks back when he gives my hair a really hard tug. Having had enough, I close my eyes, take a deep breath and fist my hands. With hardened determination, I slowly turn, reeling my arm back at the same time, smacking him right in the eye with my fist. He squeals like a little girl then comes after me, tackling me to the ground. Soon the other kids are jeering and the next thing I know, Damon is pulling me away, taking my place and laying into Mike. The two of them go at it for several minutes before Mr. Tanner shows up to pull them apart._

 _"Who started this?" he demands to know. Both Damon and Michael remain tight-lipped._

 _"Alright fine. He grabs both of them by the scruff of the neck, leading them towards the school, no doubt to detention. I'm about to tell him that I started it after being provoked by Mike, Damon shakes his head no. Looking at him curiously, he again shakes his head so I keep my mouth shut._

 _I go with my dad to pick him up from detention later that afternoon. Although dad doesn't yell at him, he lets Damon know in no uncertain terms that he isn't to fight and grounds him for a week. When I go into his room that evening to ask him why he covered up for me again, he stares at me for few seconds, finally softening his posture._

 _"I'm supposed to protect my family" is all he says._

Blowing out a puff of air, I drink a big slog of coffee. After setting it down, I clutch the edge of the desk so hard, my knuckles whiten as I try to steel my nerves. Knowing I can't delay this, I straighten out my skirt then walk to his office to see if he has a free moment to see me.

When I step in his office, his secretary looks up. "May I help you with something, Miss Gilbert?"

"I need to speak to Mr. Mikaelson. It's really urgent." After telling me to take a seat, she gets up, walking into his office. In a few moments, Elijah himself comes out and walks over to me.

"Elena, you have something important to discuss with me?"

"I do. I need your advice."

"Let's go into my office." Standing up, I follow him taking a seat in front of his desk, shuddering slightly when I hear his office door close. It's a big office, the scales of justice sitting on the shelf in one of his many bookcases. The floor to ceiling windows offer a view of St. Augustine with the Atlantic visible in the distance. When he enters my visual field, I watch as he walks around me, sitting down behind his desk. Tenting his fingers, he leans forward and tells me to begin.

"I had to babysit this weekend because my parents wanted a night away. As you know, Stefanie Fell has been living with my parents. I try to go to see her as often as I can. She's a great kid, Elijah. Anyway, she's been having nightmares on and off. Saturday night, she had a horrible one so I ran into her room to try to soothe her." I pause a moment, nervously brushing a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Elena, what is it?"

When I raise my eyes to his, I know he can see my inner turmoil.

"She blurted out that she stabbed her father. She told me that he had her pinned against the sink and when she heard him lower his zipper, she reached for the knife that was on the countertop, stabbing him. She called Damon in a panic so he came over and got her out of there, taking her to Caroline."

"Oh dear lord," he utters, shaking his head just slightly.

"I think that Damon went back to the house to make it look like he was the killer."

"Wasn't he stabbed multiple times though?"

"Yes and I realize that Damon still could've killed him but this revelation sheds new light on everything. I need to speak to Judge Nichols to see if he'll give me more time. I need to have her speak to Detective Saltzman. Then I want him to interview Damon again."

"I'll get Judge Nichols on the phone. Why don't you go to speak to Detective Saltzman?"

"Um, what will they do to Stefanie? I can't imagine how terrified she must've been thinking that her own father was going to rape her. Surely they won't put her in juvenile detention or something worse?"

"I'll help in anyway I can, Elena. If it was up to me, I'd say she stabbed him in self defense. We need to know which wound she made."

"The Coroner's report said that two of the wounds would've been fatal but he couldn't specify which one was the death blow. The rest would've needed stitches but wouldn't have killed him."

Standing up, I blow out a breath of air.

"Let me know what you find out from Ric."

"I will Elijah and thank you again. I'll be in touch." Our eyes meet for a moment before I turn my back to him and leave the room, closing the door behind me.

* * *

"Please come in, Ric. I'm so glad you had time to meet with me." He tilts his head, looking at me a little perplexed but takes a seat when I gesture with my arm for him to do so.

"What has you so troubled, Elena?" he asks, his gaze focused directly on me.

"I don't even know where to start," I utter, running a hand through my hair.

"The beginning maybe?"

"Stefanie confessed to me that she's the one who stabbed her father. She said he pinned her against the count and started to pull his zipper down. A knife was in her reach so she used it."

"Whew," he utters, a look of shock crossing his features.

"When did all of this happen?"

"I spent the weekend with the girls because my parents went away for an overnight. She was having another terrible nightmare and when I went to her, she blurted it out. What are we going to do?"

"I need to speak to her, Elena. And I'm going to need to speak with Damon again. I think it's quite obvious now that he's covering for her. Did she tell you if she stabbed him more than once?"

"Honestly, Ric, I was so stunned myself that I didn't think to ask. And I couldn't push her in that moment."

"I think you told me that your parents have her seeing a counselor right? Can you get her on the line to see if I can speak to Stefanie?" Nodding quickly, I pick up my phone and dial, breathing a sigh of relief when she picks up.

"Dr. Fleming?"

"Yes, this is Isobel Fleming. Who is this?"

"Hi Dr. Fleming. It's Elena Gilbert. I'm here in my office with Detective Saltzman. We need to ask you about Stefanie."

"You know that I can't break a confidence."

Ric shares a look with me before answering.

"Dr. Fleming, my name is Detective Saltzman. I need to interview Stefanie in light of some new information we've received but I don't want to hurt her recovery."

"It will be hard for her. You're a stranger but if Miss Gilbert or her parents could be with her, I believe that she'll be okay. Despite outward appearances, she's really a very strong young lady."

"Thank you for speaking to us, Dr. Fleming. I'll keep you informed," I add then click off the phone after saying goodbye.

"I need to go down to the jail to talk to Damon," Ric announces, standing up.

"I'm going to tell him that I need to hear his version of events again."

"Are you looking for any discrepancies?"

"Yes, but I'm not going to tell him that."

"Should I come with?"

"You can if you want. I'd really like to see if I can get any kind of reaction from him. If he says anything different from what he's already told me, I'll bring you in. He should have representation if he wants it."

"I agree. Let's go then." Standing up, I pick up my purse and follow him to the doorway. Ever the gentleman, he pulls it open, allowing me to go out first then follows behind, the two of us walking side by side to the jail.

* * *

While Ric is busy talking with Damon, I'm a nervous wreck. He was livid with me the last time I saw him, I can only imagine how furious he's going to be when he sees my face again. Pacing up and down the length of the hallway, I don't begin to know how to handle all of this turmoil that I feel on the inside. Between pacing and watching the tick of the clock, I feel like I'm going to go mad so I grab my purse and walk outside for a few minutes. Sucking in a deep breath of air, I sit down on the concrete staircase for a bit and watch the people that pass me both on the stairs and on the sidewalk. Glancing at my watch, I see that only a few minutes have passed. Dropping my chin to my chest, I shake my head. Knowing that I should go back in case Ric asks for me, I take a few more minutes for myself before gathering my things and walking back inside.

"Miss Gilbert, Detective Saltzman is asking for you to join them," one of the guards says to me shortly after I get back in the building.

Nodding, I follow behind. Anxious doesn't begin to cover it, I don't know why but I feel like I'm walking to the awaiting gallows. Stepping inside the room, I pull out a chair and sit down. Ric shares a look with me before leaving the two of us alone. I can't help but keep my eyes on him till the door is pulled shut by the guard. Swallowing thickly, I finally make eye contact with Damon.

"You wanted to see me?" My insides coil painfully when I see what looks like sheer, unmitigated hatred on his face.

"Damn right, I wanted to see you. What the hell were you thinking?"

Rolling my eyes, I just take a seat. I knew he'd be angry after Ric had a few words with him but this, he's so much more so than I had anticipated. Knowing that he's going to spew venom at me, I fist my hands in my lap and square my shoulders for the coming onslaught.

"Damon, please elaborate?"

Although I know without doubt that he wants to rail at me about Stefanie, I'm going to let him spell it out for me.

"I told you I didn't want Stefanie anywhere near this case. You deliberately went against my wishes AGAIN! How could you do that to her? Is there even one brain cell in that thick skull of yours?" he yells, his eyes burning white hot with anger.

Nowhere near done with me yet, he continues his rage, "Now she's involved, I'll never forgive you for this, never."

Without so much as a blink, he maintains his lethal stare. The line of his jaw is pulled tight, his face is red and his knuckles are white as he grips the table while his biceps are tight and bulging. Oh yeah, absolutely over the top infuriated with me.

"Damon, please calm down. Stefanie confessed to me that she stabbed her father. I talked to Elijah and then I talked to Ric. Stefanie, dad and I are going to be talking to Ric later this afternoon. I assure you that Ric and I both asked her counselor is she was up to it. You may not believe this, but I care deeply for Stefanie just as I do for you. She's your sister, she's a part of you. I would never do anything to harm her. Surely you know that?"

"I don't give a fucking rip as to what you thought! What the hell is the matter with you? I told you time and again that I didn't want her involved and still you threw her right back into the flames."

"Damon? I care about you and want you to have a future. I want you to be able to walk her down the aisle when she's old enough. I want you to be available for her to come to when she needs her big brother. You may not care about that but I do," I add, reaching over tentatively to press my hands atop his.

Immediately he jerks his hand away, wiping it dramatically against his pants as if my touch was excrement.

"I'll forever curse the day that you walked back into my life." After giving me a scathing glare, he flies out of his chair, jerking the ankle chain taut as he tries to put more distance between us.

"Damon, please?"

"I didn't want her involved at all," he hollers, his caustic gaze makes my gut twist painfully. Furiously he screams for the guard to take him away.

I know he wanted to protect his sister but she needs him in her life and that would be impossible if he's stuck in jail when he may very well have had a valid reason for killing Fell, if he did indeed wield the fatal blow.

I raise my eyes to the door when the guard rushes in. Damon asks to be taken back to his cell. After leveling me with one more brutal stare, he's taken out of the room. Dropping my head into my hands, I just sit there for several minutes till the guard asks me to leave as another lawyer needs this room to speak to a client. Nodding, I pick up my stuff and walk out. Knowing that he hates literally weakens my knees. Unable to move, I collapse against the wall, tears filling my eyes.

* * *

We walk into the criminal justice building, dad and I with Stefanie sandwiched between us, holding each of our hands tightly. We get in the elevator, stopping just in front of detectives wing of the building. I stoop down to give her a hug, hoping to convey to her that everything will be okay. My heart twists painfully when I see a few tears beginning to form in the inner corners of her eyes. Dad stoops down too, taking her hand in his again before pulling her over so one arm is wrapped around her. He whispers something in her ear and she nods her head, although she still looks so scared.

"Ric is a good man, Stefanie. You don't have to be afraid of him."

"I... I don't want to go to kid's jail," she blurts out, tears now falling from her eyes.

"Oh sweetie, he's not going to send you to a kid's jail. We all want to help Damon and that's what we're hoping your story will do."

Burying her face in dad's chest, I hear a barely there, "okay." We stand up and walk in. After I tell the receptionist that we're here to see Detective Saltzman, she tells us to have a seat. Too anxious myself, I go over to the window to look outside, viewing the ocean that lies to the east. Myrtle Beach is really a beautiful little town. Looking over my shoulder when I hear my name, I walk over, taking Stefanie's hand and the three of us follow the woman down the hall and into Ric's office. He stands immediately to shake both dad's and Stefanie's hands after I introduce them. After introductions are made and Ric steps out to get Stefanie a soda, we all sit down and let Ric begin.

"Stefanie, I want you to tell me exactly what happened the night your dad died. Tell me everything and don't leave anything out. Something that may seem unimportant to you could be very important to this case. I would like to be able to help your brother too."

"I'm afraid," she whispers, dropping her eyes. Dad pulls her onto his lap and hugs her close. I hear him reassure her that she's not going to jail but I think she's still terrified of that happening.

"Ric, can you please assure her that she won't be going to a kid's jail? She's scared to death of that."

"Stefanie, you have my word that when we're done, you'll be able to go home with the Gilberts. I promise."

Raising her eyes, she gives him an almost imperceptible nod.

"My daddy was always mean to me. When he would drink, he'd come into my room and get in bed with me," she sniffs, unable to keep her tears at bay. I close my eyes because I'm appalled that such a young child had to go through that. Damon wanted to take me away but momma made the police keep him away from our house."

"After he and Damon got into it Fell got a restraining order on him. We arrested Damon a couple of times for violating it," Ric points out. I nod my head. Now that he mentioned it, I remember reading the details in his police file.

Pointing to her thighs, she says that he would touch her there and on the chest. I know Ric is trying to be as gentle as he can when asks if he ever penetrated her with his fingers. I thank God when she says he touched her there but never went that far. When she gets to that night, I happen to notice that she's holding dad's hand so tightly that it's white. He and I share a look. Both of us are in awe of her strength. Momma and daddy were both drinking. They fought and she stormed out of the house. I came out of my room because I was hungry," she whispers, her voice thick and stuttered because obviously this is a painful memory for her. After getting a reassuring nod from dad, she continues.

"He pushed me against the countertop and the he started put his hands on my chest... I was crying and begging him to let me alone. When I heard the zipper, I reached for the knife. I couldn't let him do that to me, I couldn't so I shoved him off me and stabbed his chest. He hit his head when he fell. There was blood all over. I dropped the knife and went to call Damon. He came over as soon as he could. Damon looked at him but he didn't touch him, I swear. As soon as we got out of the house, he told me that I didn't do anything and that my dad was just knocked out. Just before we got to Caroline's place, he said that he would take care of it and that I wasn't to say a word to anyone ever," she reveals, her chest heaving from crying so hard.

"He left me there and when he came back he had blood on his clothes. He said that he called the police and they were coming to pick him up and that I was to be quiet. No one would ever have to know what I did. I want my brother back," she cries, burying her head in dad's chest. He wraps his arms around her, stroking her back as he tries to soothe her.

Ric takes a breath and after staring at me for a millisecond, he turns to face Stefanie again.

"You're a very brave little girl, Stefanie. The bravest I've ever met in fact. I'm very proud of you for telling me but I need to ask you one more time, are you sure you only stabbed him once?"

She buries herself farther into my dad's chest before nodding her head up and down vigorously.

"Do you know where on his chest that you stabbed him?"

Pulling herself out of dad's side, she points to the area just below angle of his right ribcage.

"I believe you Stefanie," Ric reassures her before turning his attention back to me.

"Now that I know her version of events, I'm going to go to see Damon again." After telling dad to take Stefanie out of the room, he pulls me aside so he can talk to me alone for a few minutes.

"Elena, you saw the autopsy report. He was stabbed more than once. I'm going to tell Damon what she told us here today. My hope is that he'll be honest with me this time as to what happened."

"I hope so too, Ric. He's incensed with me, I don't know if I dare go with you."

"I'll give him the option of having you there or not, okay?"

"Thank you for being so gentle with her. She was so afraid that you'd send her to a children's jail."

"That little girl has been through hell. I certainly would not do anything to compound that. I'm going to go to the jail now. I'll give you a call if Damon wants to include you."

After releasing a heavy sigh, I nod and leave his office, rejoining dad and Stef. As soon as we're out of the building, dad offers to take us out to eat. Unfortunately I need to get back to my office so I give them each a hug and a kiss then watch as the two of them leave, Stefanie still leaning heavily against my dad and him holding her up as he always did for me.

* * *

Almost at the same time I'm about to step into my office building, I get a call from Ric to join him at the jail. I quickly turn around and go back over there. By the time I arrive, Damon and Ric are already in an interrogation room waiting for me.

"Elena, I'm glad you could join us," Ric mentions raising his eyes to mine. Damon however doesn't look up. His face is down, presumably staring at his clenched hands. I can tell by his tight posture and the way his biceps are bulging that his fuse is still burning red hot. It's almost as if he's sitting on a powder keg and giving off the proverbial sparks.

"Damon, how are you?"

He doesn't so much as raise his eyes to mine. Rather, he looks everywhere but at me, from the stark gray concrete walls to the shackles on his ankle and to his clenched hands and even at Ric. I don't know why but it hurts that he won't acknowledge me.

"Alright Damon, I talked to Stefanie. Her version of events is quite contrary to yours. Now why don't you for once, tell us the truth," Ric remarks, his eyes firmly on Damon's. I hear him take a deep breath and notice when he shakes his head.

"I didn't want her to have to live with this. I told her not to say anything to anyone."

"Damon, she's a child. She just couldn't carry the weight you placed on her shoulders any longer. Don't be mad at her, please."

"I'm not mad at _her_ , Elena. I just wanted to protect her and because of your meddling, I failed. Thank you very much," he sneers, sarcasm rich in his tone.

"Damon?"

"Don't!" he snaps, his voice dripping with disdain.

Realizing Damon's animosity towards me, Ric interrupts, his focus on Damon.

"Please tell us what happened that night?"

"She was hysterical when she called me. I got there as soon as I could. He was laying face up in the kitchen in a pool of blood. There was blood everywhere, I couldn't even tell that he had a white tee shirt on. It was only a spot on the sleeves that gave it away. I did the only thing I could do which was getting her out of there as quickly as I could. After dropping her off at Caroline's, I went back over to the house.

Knowing that I couldn't let her be blamed for this, I picked up the knife so my fingerprints would be on it. I put his blood on me and then I called 911 using their phone. Once I finished doing all of that, I went back to Caroline's to wait for the cops to show up to arrest me."

"Did you stab him, Damon?" Ric asks point blank. He looks at Ric and then at me and then back to Ric. After swallowing thickly, he shakes his head back and forth.

"Although I wanted to, he was already dead by the time I got there so no, I didn't stab him, I swear I didn't."

"You're not going to get out of jail today. You still tampered with evidence at a crime scene. I can assure you that there will be a price to pay for that. Elena and I will go to speak to the DA."

Damon drops his chin to his chest, finally looking up after several seconds have passed.

"What will happen to Stefanie now?" he asks, raking his hand through his already messy hair.

"Nothing is going to happen to your sister. She did what she did to protect herself."

I watch as his posture softens but I can tell he's still royally pissed off. Without bothering even a peripheral glance at me, he asks to go back to his cell.

As soon as he's taken out by the guard, I turn to face Ric at the same time he faces me, both us uttering at the same time, " _Someone else killed Fell."_

* * *

 _Cue the 'Unsolved Mysteries' theme song.._

 _Thank you so much, Eva. Love you lots._

 _And thank you to all of you who took the time to review. REVIEWS are powerful motivation to keep writing._

 _Chapter title: 'Love is a Battlefield' by Pat Benatar. #classic_

 _Please give 'Dig' and 'Tears in Heaven' a look. I would love to hear your thoughts on those two stories too._

 _Again, I would love to hear your thoughts. Reviews really only take seconds to write and they mean the world to the writers._

 _Be safe and have a wonderful day. Until next time._


	14. Mudshovel

_As soon as he's taken out by the guard, I turn to face Ric at the same time he faces me, both of us uttering at the same time, "someone else killed Fell."_

"Dear God, Ric, what are we going to do?"

"I think the two of us need to go to speak to the DA and Judge Nichols."

"Yeah," I add, still stunned by this turn of events. Picking up my bag, the two of us stand, Ric holding the door open, gesturing for me to walk out first.

"I'm still in shock. Didn't the coroner estimate the time of death as somewhere between six and nine in the evening?"

"Yes."

"When could someone have gotten into that house and finished him off?"

"Logan Fell wasn't well liked. He had enemies. For all we know, he could've invited someone over or someone happened to come over and seized the chance to off him. I just don't know Elena?"

"Me neither. We need to go over the evidence again."

"Yes, we do but first let's go and see if we can talk to the Brady Williams."

Nodding I follow along before veering off to where I'm parked. Since we each have our own vehicle, we drive separately over to the DA's office. I notice Ric drive up just after I park my car. As soon as he pulls into a parking spot, I walk over to join him.

"What's wrong? This is good news, Elena."

"Damon is furious at me for getting Stefanie involved. I completely understand that he wanted to protect her but he doesn't realize that it was too much of a burden for a little girl to bear."

"Stefanie is a very brave little girl. We can remove that burden from her by finding out who really killed Fell. We're going to have to reassure her that the wound that she made didn't kill her father."

"I know, I just hope Damon can forgive me someday."

"Give him time, Elena. He's not the same boy that you grew up with. He's been through a hell of a lot in his young age.

"You're right," I agree, dropping my eyes because I know what he's saying is the truth. He's not the Damon that I grew up with. I hate his mother for destroying the boy I used to know. He was such a happy child when he lived with us, loyal and protective to a fault. I just hope that eventually he can find that side of himself again.

As soon as we get to Brady's office, we both deflate when we're informed that he's gone home for the day. Sighing heavily, I decide to go along with Ric to talk to his partner, Detective Branson. Because the two of us are talking to each other when we're walking out, we walk smack dab into Tyler sending him sprawling onto the floor, landing on his tush. Maybe it's because of all the anxiety and pressure I'm under right now, I start giggling. Although it's probably inappropriate, I just can't help myself. Once I compose myself a little bit, I look at him again, covering my mouth when I see him sneering at me.

"It was an accident, Tyler," I blurt out laughing again when I notice Ric starting to crack up too. Once he's on his feet, he gets right in my face causing me to step back.

"Who is this guy? Didn't take you long to find someone new did it?" With a roll of my eyes, I step forward to let him know that he isn't going to intimidate me.

"For your information, Detective Saltzman and I are working on a case. Plus, he's married."

"Is it true, you're married?" he asks, his wrath now focused on Ric.

"Not that it's any of your business, Mr. Lockwood but yes, I am and quite happily for that matter.

"I'd love to meet her, Ric," I add, focusing all my attention on Ric which irritates Tyler all the more. After blowing out an exaggerated huff, he squares his shoulders and walks away.

"What was that all about?"

"I was stupid enough to get engaged to that man. He was a little put off when I ended things."

"Don't take this the wrong way but your taste in men is surely lacking."

"As far as Tyler goes, I'll agree with you but I disagree vehemently where Damon is concerned. You didn't know him before."

"How is it that he came to live with your family anyway?"

"Damon's father was a navy seal. He was killed in Afghanistan. My dad grew up with Damon's father. They were best friends, stood up for each other at their weddings, stuff like that. After he was killed overseas, his mother dropped him at our doorstep. We didn't see or hear from her again till she showed up with Fell in tow and took off with Damon."

"He was with your family a long time?"

"Seven years."

"Considering what became of Damon's life, he would've been so much better off it she would've left him in the care of your parents."

"Yes, he would have," I add wistfully. Since police headquarters is just a short distance from the Brady Williams office, we decide to walk. Once inside the criminal justice building, Ric leads me too his office, pulling the door open for me to step inside.

"Ric, where have you been?" Detective Branson asks, giving him a dirty look.

"Miss Gilbert and I have been speaking with Damon Salvatore."

"Why, he's pleading guilty right?"

"Damon didn't do it, Lex."

"What are you talking about? He confessed, his fingerprints were on the weapon and all over the murder scene. We have his bloody clothes."

"He tampered with the crime scene to protect his little sister," Ric informs her, dropping into the chair behind his desk. Using his hand, he gestures for me to take a seat too.

"What does she have to do with anything?"

"She thought that her father was going to rape her. When she heard him lower his zipper, she grabbed the knife and stabbed him. The coroner's report does mention significant bruising on his skull. Stefanie said he fell, striking his head the floor with a bounce. She didn't wait to see if he was alive or not. She called Damon. He got her out of there and then went back, implicating himself by corrupting the evidence. Left utterly speechless, Lexi just stares at Ric for several seconds while the information sinks in.

"Whoa! I certainly wasn't expecting this bit of news to drop."

"No, I wasn't either, Lex. After I interviewed Stefanie, Elena and I went to talk to Damon. He swears that Fell was dead when he got there so he manipulated the scene to spare his sister.

"I guess I don't take the day off tomorrow," she says, shaking her head.

"Nope, we have a murder to solve. Brady Williams is out of his office for the day so I'm going to try to see him first thing in the morning. Do you want to go with, either of you?" Nodding my head vigorously, I tell him that I do want to go along.

After setting a time to meet in the morning, I say goodbye then walk quickly back to my car. Although I'm tired, I'd like to talk to my dad so I exit onto the highway to drive the short distance to Murrells Inlet. By sheer happenstance, dad is standing outside when I pull my car into their driveway. Smiling, he walks over, pulling me into a hug as soon as I step out of the car. When I pull away, I can see the anxiety written all over his face.

"Are you okay, dad?"

"I'm worried about Stefanie. What if they try to put her in juvenile detention till she's twenty one? She did stab the man, justifiably so in my opinion, but that doesn't negate the fact that she did do it."

Taking his hand between the two of mine, I blow out a breath that I didn't know I was holding in.

"Just relax okay? I have good news and bad news. Which do you care to hear first?"

"Let's go with the good news."

"Neither Stef nor Damon, for that matter, killed anyone. Damon sullied the crime scene to make it appear that he killed Fell to protect Stefanie. But now we have a murderer to find."

"And the bad?" he asks, linking my arm in his as we walk towards the front door.

"Damon hates me for involving Stefanie in all of this. You should've seen him, dad. He was absolutely thermonuclear meltdown, out of control furious with me."

"I'm sure once the shock wears off, his anger will ebb. You have to understand his point of view, Elena. He was willing to throw his whole future away to protect her and it's all blown up in his face. And I know that her secret was eating away at her and she needed to tell but you have to consider Damon feelings in all of this. He probably thinks that he failed her. I think it would be far worse had Stefanie not told because I think the guilt would eat her alive if she knew she had the power to save him and she didn't. For her emotional health, it was for the best that she confessed. Even though I think you did the right thing, I can also understand why he's angry."

"I know, I'd probably feel the same way if our situations were reversed. I thought you said her nightmares are already less frequent?"

"Yes and I hope that with Dr. Fleming's continued assistance, her nightmares will cease altogether."

"Me too, dad. Me too."

Sighing heavily I let him lead me into the house. According to dad, mom and Bonnie's grandmother took Katherine and Stefanie to a kid's movie. Since I have to meet Ric at the DA's office the first thing in the morning, I agree to stay for supper after which I need to go home. Since it's nearly six thirty and mom isn't home yet, I share a quick bite to eat with dad. He walks me out to my car and gives me a hug. Just as I'm backing out, mom and girls arrive. Sighing, I put the car in park, jump out and give each of the girls and my mom a hug.

When I see the timid look on Stefanie's face, I pull her aside for a moment and try to reassure her that everything will be all right. She smiles at me hesitantly before running into dad's arms. I can't help but smile when I see him embracing her. He would always comfort me when I was scared too. Although I need to get home, I spend a few moments talking to Katherine and my mom. After promising my sister that I'd do something with her and Stef this weekend, I get back in my car and drive home, my thoughts heavy about what tomorrow will bring.

* * *

"Miss Gilbert, Detective Saltzman, how can I help you this morning?" DA Williams asks, after gesturing for us to take a seat. Tenting his fingers, he stares at us from his perch behind the desk.

"It's about the Salvatore case," I begin.

"It's pretty open and shut right?"

"Not at all. It's a lot more complex than we initially believed."

"How so?"

"Brady, I know you've seen Fell's criminal record. The man was a contemptible, heinous bastard."

"I'm well aware of that, Ric but the man didn't deserve to be murdered in cold blood.

"Mr. Williams, Fell tried to rape his daughter. She fought back the only way she could. Damon tampered with the crime scene to implicate himself to protect her," I explain.

"When did all this happen?"

"The girl is twelve, Brady. She's been having terrible nightmares since it happened. Elena just happened to be with her when she finally let out what happened that night. At least as much as she knew," Ric adds, raking a hand through his hair.

"Well this does shed new light on the case."

"Have you spoken to Judge Nichols yet?" he asks, his eyes focused on mine.

"Elijah told me that he was going to give him a call. We're going there next. Ric's partner is re-interviewing some of the witnesses now, asking if they know anything about his pedophilic tendencies."

'That man was a sick mother fucker. However your client can still be charged with violating a crime scene. That is a serious offense in and of itself."

"Yes, I am. But I do hope given the circumstances of this case that the Judge will let Damon off with time served or else not impose too harsh of a sentence on him."

"Good luck with that," he scoffs, standing up to pour himself a cup of coffee. He looks first to Ric and then to me, asking if we would like a cup. Nodding, he fills three cups, handing one to each of us.

"Why do you say it that way? I've always known Judge Nichols to be a fair man," I mention, taking a swallow of my coffee.

"Salvatore has been lying all along not to mention the crime scene boondoggle. How are we ever going to find the real murderer now? All of the evidence has been tainted by you client."

When I hear Ric set his coffee cup down, I turn to look at him. He stands up, towering over Brady as he leans forward, his hands flat on the desk top, his fingertips white. I swear I saw Brady cower in his chair slightly. Ric does make for a rather imposing figure. I pretend to cough to cover up the smirk that forms on my face.

"Now listen Brady. The first thing you're going to do is drop the murder charges against Damon. Elena and I are going to go to speak to the Judge. If you're determined to press charges against Damon on the other infraction, have at it."

When I stand to join him, the two of us turn around and walk out of Brady's office, sharing a smirk as soon as we're out of the door.

* * *

On the way to speak with Judge Nichols, Ric and I make a stop at the jail to have a word with Damon. I'm under no illusion that he'll even speak to me but Ric asked me to go with him.

As soon as we get to the jail, the guard takes us to a room and then goes to get Damon. Still in his orange prison jumpsuit with shackles on his ankles and handcuffs to his wrists, he shuffles in, dropping into the chair across from Ric and to my left. The guard chains the shackles to the chair, removes his handcuffs and then steps out to give us some privacy.

"Damon, I just want you to know that Elena and I just spoke to the DA. When we're done here, we're going to go over to speak to Judge Nichols. We're hoping to get the murder charges dropped."

Without so much as a glance at me, he raises his eyes to Ric's.

"Will he do that?" he asks, raking his fingers through his messy black hair.

"Yes, the Judge can do that but the DA will have to agree to drop the charges first. You did tamper with evidence though, Damon. I'm actually hoping that we can get you off with time served but it'll depend on Brady Williams and Judge Nichols," I add but it's like talking to a wall because he makes no effort to even acknowledge my presence.

"Damon, I don't know how soon we'll be able to get you out but my partner, Detective Branson and I, along with Elena here, will do everything we can to find out who really killed your stepfather."

"Don't say the word father in conjunction with him. The man was an animal and I hated him," he snaps, his face drawn tight and his brows furrowed.

"Chill, Damon," Ric says, his voice even and calm.

Glancing at my watch, I see that it's almost time for Ric and I to meet with the Judge. Although my gaze is on Damon, I mention that we need to leave. After Ric nods, the two of us get up. When I push my chair back under the table, the dragging sound causes Damon to finally look at me. His glare is lethal. Although I want nothing more than to place my hand on his, I know that he'll only react badly so I stuff my hand in my skirt pocket. After knocking on the door, we wait a few seconds for the guard to unlock it. Just before stepping out, I turn to face him one last time. As if he senses my stare, he raises his to mine, the venom in them enough to send a shiver of fear up my spine. Swallowing thickly, I give him an almost imperceptible nod before stepping out. Rather than wait for Ric, I hurry outside as quickly as I can to breathe in the fresh air.

"Elena, what's wrong?"

"He hates me, Ric. He really does."

"Whether he does or not, I can't speak for him. But seriously, you need to give him some time. He's sitting in six by six foot cell because Stefanie's safety meant more to him than his own freedom. He put up a valiant effort to save her only to have it crash and burn because you wouldn't let go."

"What was I supposed to do? I know he loves Stefanie much more than he loves himself. But there's no doubt in my mind that it would've been far harder for Stefanie to live a happy life knowing that her beloved brother was languishing in prison when she had the power to save him. You know I'm right."

"Yes, I do, but Damon is too angry to look at the situation logically right now. He needs time, maybe a lot of time."

"I know. We better get going so we we're not late."

"After you, Miss Gilbert," he says, extending his arm, motioning for me to lead the way.

* * *

"Judge Nichols will see you now," his secretary announces, standing up to lead us to his office. After thanking her, the two of us walk in to see the Judge with his face buried in a book. He looks up only when Ric discreetly clears his throat.

"I heard from both DA Williams and Elijah Mikaelson that you two would be coming over. I only know that this meeting has to do with the Salvatore case so why don't you two tell me what this is about?" he asks, motioning for us to sit.

"That is correct, Judge Nichols, it does have to do with Damon's case" I tell him as soon as I'm seated. Between Ric and I, we bring him up to speed on the case. Since Damon is homeless, he refuses to let him out on bail despite my pleas and offer of finding him a place to stay.

"I'm sorry Miss Gilbert. I assume Brady Williams will be filing other charges against him. Plus there's a killer still out there if you two are to believed. Mr. Salvatore did plead guilty to capital murder. Until those charges are dropped, I have no choice but to keep him in prison."

"I understand, Your Honor." As disheartened as it makes me, I do understand the position that he's in.

"Now, is there anything else that I can help you with?"

"Not today, Judge. But thank you for your time," Ric thanks him, urging me out with the palm of his hand against my lower back. Just as I put my hand on the doorknob to open it, he tells us that he'll make no ruling on Damon's guilty plea for the time being and that he needs to be kept abreast of what's going on. I give him a smile before walking out, Ric directly behind me. As we walk outside, Ric asks me what I'm going to do for the rest of the day. As much as I'd like to go to try to talk to Damon, I really think I should give him a few days to cool off. Maybe I'll ask dad to take Stefanie to visit him in the meantime. By the time I get back to my office, I'm already exhausted for the day and it's only a little after one in the afternoon.

After telling my secretary not to bother me for at least an hour, I go into my office and collapse in my big overstuffed chair. Laying first my arms and then my head on the desktop, I close my eyes, letting sleep overcome me.

 _"Don't be mad at me, please Damon?"_

 _"But you hurted me," he pouts, his eyes still wet from crying. We were fighting over one of his toys. When he wouldn't let me play with his truck, I pushed him down, skinning his knees on the sidewalk. It's not the first time I did that. As soon as he sees blood, he runs into the house crying. After mom doctored him up, he ran to tell daddy on me too._

 _Daddy explains to me that he's only a five year old little boy and that it takes longer for little boys to grow up than little girls. Afterwards, he lets me go back outside by Damon._

 _"Don't be such a meany, I said I was sorry."_

 _My lower lip is sticking out pretty far by the time he looks at me._

 _"I'm mad to you."_

 _Even though I know it's my own fault that he's mad at me, I still feel tears start to prick at my eyes cause I hate it that he's angry at me._

 _"Please don't be mad at me anymore. I'll let you play with my Legos," I add, wiping the tears from my eyes with my fists._

 _"You promise?"_

 _"I promise."_

 _"Okay then, let's go play," he screams excitedly. Grabbing my hand, he drags me into the house and up the stairs, finally letting go when we get to my room. Immediately he goes to my toy chest and pulls out the Lego blocks, scattering them all over my floor. When he raises his eyes to mine, I can't help but smile at the big goofy, missing teeth grin he shares with me._

I wake up with a start when I hear my phone buzz. As soon as I pick it up, I hear my secretary inform me of a meeting. I quickly shake off my stupor, grab my purse and run out of my door without bothering to look back.

* * *

"Hey Elena," Matt says, standing up when I reach his booth.

"Thanks for reminding me. I dozed off in my office."

"Oh my gosh!" he utters feigning shock.

"What can I get you two?" Caroline asks when she walks over to the booth.

"Even though my gut hurts from all the caffeine I've drank today, I need it."

"Sure thing, Elena. Matt?"

"I'll have a coffee and a cheeseburger. Are you hungry, Elena?"

"Sure why not, I'll have the cheeseburger too, no pickles."

"You don't like pickles? What's the matter with you?" Matt teases, smiling at Caroline. She walks away coming back shortly with a couple of mugs and a pot of coffee. She slides into the booth next to Matt before asking me how Damon and Stefanie are.

"Believe it or not, she gets along wonderfully with my dad. She's really bonded with him. Deciding to keep the bombshell to myself, I tell her only that Damon is still waiting for the Judge to decide on his guilty plea.

"Please tell both of them that they're in my thoughts." After I nod, she gets up to wait on some of her other customers.

"I've actually got big news on that front."

"Well don't leave me hanging..." With my voice low so no one overhears, I explain everything that's happened in the last twenty four hours. I can't stifle the inappropriate laugh when I see his mouth literally hanging open.

"I was not expecting that," he utters in shock.

"Me neither, Matt."

"Have you spoken to Judge Nichols yet?"

"Yes, Ric and I saw him this morning. For now his hands are tied because Damon did plead guilty. Brady is going to bring charges against him for contaminating the crime scene but will probably drop the murder charges."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Please keep it quiet," I add, raising my eyebrows at him.

"You have my word."

"So has Nick been in touch with you?"

"He's out of town right now. His mother is in the hospital so he went to be with her."

"Nothing serious I hope."

"She fell and broke her ankle so she had to have surgery. Nick is going to stay with her for a couple of weeks."

"Understandable," I utter yawning.

"You are tired!"

"I am. I'm going to go home as soon as we're through here." Just then Caroline brings our food, sliding my plate in front of me.

"I guess she forgot the no pickles part," I mutter, sticking out my tongue. After picking them out and depositing them on Matt's plate, I take a big bite, moaning at the scrumptious taste of Caroline's burgers.

"The woman does know her way around the kitchen," I utter, wiping the ketchup off the corner of my mouth. Once we finish, I win the coin toss and pay the bill and like always, he walks me to my car. After promising to keep him up to date, I drive off going straight home and into bed as soon as I step out of the shower. Pulling the covers over my head, I close my eyes hoping sleep will come soon.

* * *

When I hear the ' _Dragnet_ ' theme blare on my phone, I wake up with a start. That's the song, I gave Ric on my phone. I don't even know if he liked that old TV show but whatever.

"Ric? What time is it anyway?"

"It's six am."

"Why are you waking me at six am?"

"I got a call late yesterday afternoon from a cop friend of mine in Charleston."

"And?"

"She has someone in custody who claims to have information on the Fell murder. He's using what he knows as a bargaining chip to get the DA to agree to a plea deal."

"How do we even know that he isn't making it up?"

"We don't till he spills the goods."

"What are we going to do about it?"

"You are going to get up and get ready and the two of us are going to drive to Charleston to speak with him."

"Okay then."

"What's your address? I'll run by and pick you up."

After giving him my address, I hang up and crawl out of bed and go straight into the bathroom. Once I shower and primp a bit, I get dressed. Just as I'm about to start the coffee pot, I hear a knock on my door. Dropping my head because I am in dire need of some caffeine, I walk to the door, letting him in.

"I need coffee, Ric," I warn, my tone a little grumpy sounding.

"I've got Starbucks in the car. Grab your bag so we can get a move on. It's a ninety minute drive."

Nodding my head in acceptance, I pick up my purse then follow him into the hallway. After making sure my front door is locked, the two us walk down the stairs and outside to his car. Once inside, I buckle up.

"Which coffee is mine?"

"They're both the same. Have at it," he utters, putting the car in reverse then pulling out of the parking lot and onto the street. He veers south when we get to the US-17 exit to begin the drive to Charleston. After taking a big slog of coffee, I lay my head back and let my eyes drop closed. I don't remember another thing till I feel a nudge on my arm. Slowly I raise my eyes and turn my head towards Ric.

"Wake up. We're here."

* * *

 _Next chapter: Sweet Freedom._

 _Thank you so much Eva, so much. You mean the world to me._

 _Thanks so much to all of your fabulous reviews. They mean so much to me._

 _Dragnet was a 1960's TV show. It was made into a movie in the 80's starring Dan Aykroyd and Tom Hanks._

 _Chapter title: 'Mudshovel' by Staind_

 _Because patience isn't my best virtue, I did post the first chapter of 'Nothing Left to Fear'. I do hope you'll give it a read and let me know what you think._

 _'Tears in Heaven' is winding down but there are still a couple of chapters left. 'Dig' is also still in progress._

 _Please click the 'review' button._

 _Be safe and have a wonderful weekend. We'll see you next week._


	15. Broken Wings

" _Wake up. We're here."_

"Did I sleep for the entire ride?"

"You did," he chuckles, stepping out of the car.

"I didn't even get to drink my coffee and now it's cold," I pout. When he gives me his best pout back, I can't help but laugh.

"We'll get you a fresh cup when we get inside. In fact, I may even treat you to lunch after while since neither of us had breakfast."

"I'd like that."

"You ready, Miss Gilbert?"

"I am indeed, Detective Saltzman. Let's go see what, if anything, the perp has to say."

He raises his arm out in front of him, gesturing for me to lead the way.

"After you."

With a shake of my head, I take a breath and start walking towards the entrance of the police station. Ric walks beside me, pulling the door open so I can step inside. Looking around, Ric nudges me forward till we're standing in front of the information desk.

"May I help you?" the man behind the desk asks.

"We're here to see Detective Young," Ric informs him.

"Which Detective Young? April or Garrett?"

"April Young. I'm Detective Ric Saltzman from Myrtle Beach."

"Oh yes, Detective Saltzman, she did mention she was expecting you. Have a seat and I'll let her know that you're here."

"Thank you," I tell him then follow Ric to the waiting area. When I see a coffee pot, I waste no time in getting up to get a cup. I raise my filled glass to Ric, offering him one without words. He nods so I fill a second one then walk back, taking the seat beside him. I'm edgy and anxious as we wait. I pick up a magazine but my mind is in too much of a whir to even thumb through it. I take a big slog of my coffee, finishing it off before getting up to pour myself a second cup. Just as I put my hand on the carafe handle, I hear someone say Ric's name. I quickly refill my cup before walking back over to stand at his side.

"You must've gotten an early start?" she mentions, just as Ric stands up.

"We did. April, I'd like you to meet Elena Gilbert. She's Damon Salvatore's defense attorney and a good friend of mine. Elena, Detective April Young."

"It's good to meet you, Elena. Follow me to my office so we can talk in private." Again Ric extends his arm motioning for me to go first. The three of us walk down the hall till she opens a door and steps aside so the two of us can walk in.

"Have a seat," April says, after pushing the door of her office closed.

"The DA is willing to give him a six year sentence instead of ten years. We'll walk over to the jail when we're done here so we can talk to him. He should be meeting with his own attorney right about now."

"Who is your informant?"

"Kai Parker." I see an air of recognition on Ric's face as soon as she says his name.

"Ah yes, Kai. I should've guessed," Ric adds, shaking his head, a chuckle leaving his lips.

"I thought you might know who he is."

Not knowing who this guy is, I just come right out and ask. Both Ric and April explain that he's drug dealer and an addict with a long criminal record. He's been in trouble since he was a young man, having grown up in much the same circumstances as Damon. Hearing that makes me realize how grateful I am that Damon didn't turn to drugs and other more serious criminality while he was homeless. Given his situation, he would've been easy prey for someone wanting to take advantage of his dire straits. When I raise my eyes again, April is on the phone.

"Kai will see us now," she adds, hanging up the phone.

Ric nods and then the two of us stand and follow her out of her office and over to the jail which is on another floor of this same building. Once we get through security, we're taken to an interrogation room only to find who I assume is Kai and another man, likely his attorney, waiting for us. Ric walks right over to him and tells him hello in a bit of a sarcastic tone.

"Officer Saltzman?" Kai remarks, shaking his head.

"It's been a long time, Kai. I'm Detective Saltzman now."

"Imagine that!?" he laughs.

"Why don't you tell us what you know about my case?"

"I knew Fell and his little girl," he smirks when he hears me gasp.

"You didn't touch her did you?" I blurt out, quickly covering my mouth with my fingers.

"Miss whoever you are, even I have a few standards. No way in hell was I going to take her. I'm many things, many of them unsavory, but I'm not a pedophile like that bastard was."

I relax visibly, nodding my head.

"Fell and his broad bought from me often..."

"Come on, Kai, get to the nitty-gritty here."

"I happened to run into Fell's wife in one of those seedy little bars in downtown Myrtle Beach. Logan was already dead. She was drunk and begging for a hit. I figured she was an easy lay so I went home with her. She bragged about being off the hook for her husband's murder because her idiot son told the cops that he killed him. When I questioned her about it, she started cursing a blue streak about how her worthless daughter stabbed the bastard but, and I quote, "did a half-assed job." She mentioned that he was out of his mind between the booze and drugs," he adds, clasping his hands, tenting his fingers.

"Go on," April urges him.

"She said that when she knelt down to help him, he started to fight and curse. According to Eleanor, he tried to choke her so she picked up the knife, stabbing and stabbing till he stopped moving. Once she realized what she had done she ran until she found out that her hair-brained son was arrested."

"Oh my God," I whisper, pressing my palm against my chaotically thrumming heart. Ric turns to face me shaking his head slightly.

"Are you being honest with me? Is there anyone to corroborate that you were with her that night?"

"Gus the bartender. I go to that bar often when I'm in town."

"We'll check it out. For your sake, you better be telling me the truth here." Ric warns, his voice firm.

"I am. I'd much rather go to the slammer for six years instead of ten." Ric nods, then stands up and together he and I and Detective Young walk out of the room. Once we get back to April's office, Ric gives his partner, Detective Branson a call and tells her to have Eleanor Salvatore arrested.

When we get back to April's office, she sends a couple of officers out to talk to Gus the bartender. While we wait, I drink more coffee. Even though I'm getting a bellyache from the caffeine overload, I can't seem to help myself. As soon as April receives a call from an officer, verifying that this Gus will vouch for Kai's veracity, we give April our thanks then leave to go to find something to eat. He pulls his car into a McDonalds. Although I'm hungry, my nerves are alight with what we've learned.

"We're going to have to go to see Judge Nichols to ask about releasing Damon. I need to speak to Damon when we get back too. He's so angry at me, I have my doubts as to whether he'll even agree to see me."

"I can go with you if you want?"

"I'd like that. Maybe if you're there too, he won't refuse."

"Do you think they'll have her in jail by the time we get back?"

"I don't know, Elena. It depends on if they can find her. She has no reason to hide, she thinks she got off scot free."

"You're right." We finish eating and then drive back to Myrtle Beach. As the adrenaline wanes, fatigue takes over and soon my eyes fall closed.

* * *

By the time Ric and I get to the police station, Damon is already in an interrogation room waiting for us. He refuses to look at me when Ric and I walk inside.

"I know you're mad at me, Damon but surely you know that I'd never hurt her, not intentionally anyway?"

I drop my chin to my chest when he doesn't say a word, still adamant in his anger.

"Listen, Damon...," Ric begins, "Elena and I just got back from Charleston. We're certain that Stefanie didn't kill her dad. The wound that she inflicted was superficial. When he fell, he hit his head, losing consciousness."

"How is that any better? He's still dead and if the head injury was the real cause of death then what difference does it make? She'll still be stigmatized as having killed that lowlife son of a bitch."

"Damon, no, the head injury was enough to cause him to lose consciousness, his blood alcohol level contributed to that, but it wasn't fatal by any means. He had three fatal stab wounds Damon." It's only after I finish that sentence that he turns his eyes to mine.

"What?"

"She didn't kill him, Damon. We have a witness that says your mother drunkenly bragged about getting away with murder."

Stunned, he just shakes his head, before turning his attention to Ric.

"You mean she let me and Stefanie take the fall for this?"

"Damon, we have to verify his story but yes, if our witness is to be believed, that's exactly what has transpired," Ric adds, his fingers tented on the tabletop. I watch as shock morphs into anger in his eyes.

"I could understand her doing this to me but to let Stefanie grow up thinking she killed that bastard. What kind of a person would do that?" he yells, flying out of his chair.

Not wanting the guard to remove him from the room, I stand up and place a hand on his upper arm. I cringe when he pulls away but I persist anyway.

"Calm down, Damon, please?"

"Don't tell me to calm down. I don't care about me but I care about my sister. Between you bringing her into this and the egg donor... how could you?"

"Damon, please? I didn't do this to hurt her or you. She couldn't live with the guilt. You didn't have to listen to her wailing and screaming from the nightmares. My dad told me that since she told us, she hasn't had one. Now I realize that it's only been a few nights but it's a start. I love her, I would never ever hurt her."

He stares at me for several moments before finally dropping into his chair again. I also take a seat but now I'm angry myself.

"I've apologized repeatedly and I won't do it again. If you can't get over it... that's your problem."

With his face in his hands, he spreads his fingers enough for me to see one eye. I stare right back at him till he closes them. There is silence between the three of us for maybe five minutes when he raises his head, focusing on Ric.

"What happens now?"

"For now you stay put. As soon as our informant's story checks out, we'll go to the DA and Judge Nichols again to see about dropping the charges and getting you out of jail."

"I've been in jail for months already, a few more weeks won't make any difference. I'm tired. Can I go back to my cell now?"

Nodding, Ric calls the guard in who leads him away. Ric and I following them out of the room. I walk Ric back to his office before saying goodbye.

* * *

"Elena, we weren't expecting you today?"

"Hi dad. I just needed some down time. It's been trying lately."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Well, we think we may have finally gotten a break in Damon's case. And he hates me."

"Who hates you?"

"Damon," I add, dropping my head into my hand, my fingers lacing through my hair.

"This is still about Stefanie, isn't it?"

"Yeah, he's absolutely livid that I had her talk to Ric."

"Surely he must realize that she couldn't keep such a secret. It was killing her."

"Maybe he does but he hasn't given me any quarter, that's for sure."

"Elena, give him time. He's not going to hate you forever."

"I'm not so sure about that."

"Why do you think that?"

"He wouldn't even look at me when Ric and I went to talk to him. He yelled at me."

"Do you want me to talk to him?"

"No, dad. He'll just get that much angrier at me for asking you to fight my battles."

 _"Why are you mad at me?"_

 _"Because it was between you and me and you ran to papa. He scolded me."_

 _"Well, you punched me."_

 _"You knocked over all of my dominoes. I worked hard to get them all set up and you just pushed them over."_

 _"Well, I wanted to see them fall down," I spout, crossing my arms over my chest._

 _"I asked you not to though and you did it anyway so I punched you."_

 _"It's not nice to hit girls."_

 _"It's not nice to be a tattletale either."_

 _He mimics my stance, crossing his arms over his shoulders. When I stick my lower lip out, he sticks his tongue out at me._

 _"Damon, stop it."_

 _"You started it."_

 _"I'm sorry I knocked the dominoes over. I'll help you set them up again."_

 _He looks at me for a long few moments before shrugging his shoulders and dropping back onto the floor. Just as he starts to set his dominoes up again, I sit down beside him to help. When I hear the door creak, I glance over to see my dad standing in the doorway smiling at us. I smile back widely when he sits down on the floor and begins to help us stack dominoes too._

Hearing dad say my name snaps me out of that memory. "I'll repeat myself, Elena. Give him some time. He's going to need all of us if he gets out. I mean, he'll probably want to take custody of Stefanie but he'll need a place to stay and a means to support her. He's not going to be able to do that right away. He can come to stay with us if need be but I would imagine he wouldn't want to depend on us long term. And you and I both know that he could never hate you."

"I don't know, dad. The Damon we raised and the Damon of today are two very different people. Life has hardened him so to speak."

"Given what we know about his life after us, it's understandable. He'll come around. But what's this about a break in the case?"

"There's a witness of questionable character who says the person that really killed Logan Fell drunkenly blurted out their guilt."

"Really?"

"Yep."

"It's Eleanor, isn't it?"

"Well, dad. I can't confirm nor deny that. I can say that the police do want to talk to her."

"For Damon's sake, I hope the lead pans out. Now, I'm hungry, why don't you help me get some supper ready so by the time your mom and the girls get home, we'll be ready to eat?"

"Where are they anyway?"

"Katherine had gymnastics practice. Stefanie seems to like it too. Even though she's a little old, I think it'll be good for her to channel her energy into something productive."

"I agree, dad. What's for supper?"

"Swiss steak. I'll let you pound the meat. You can pretend it's Damon since you're clearly a bit agitated with him."

"I am. I told him today that I was through apologizing and that I didn't do anything wrong. If he refuses to accept it, it's his loss."

"Although I love you both, I'm glad you stuck up for yourself."

"Thanks, dad. Lead me the way to the meat mallet?" I joke, following him into the kitchen.

* * *

"Sttoooppp," Katherine squeals while writhing on the floor when Stefanie and I gang up, tickling her with abandon.

"Uh uh," I choke out when she accidentally lands a fist to my throat while fighting back. Feeling the wind has been knocked out of me, I let her go as I struggle for a breath of air.

"Are you okay?" Stefanie asks. I nod my head because I'm unable to speak yet. I can see that she's worried about me. After several minutes, I finally feel normal again. I give Katherine a glare and tell Stefanie I'm okay before standing up. Enough rough-housing for one night. After that, all of us watch a little TV. I tuck the girls in and decide to stay the night and get up to go back to Myrtle Beach in the morning. It's been an exhausting day all in all.

I take the time to tell my parents goodnight before going to my bedroom, stripping out of my clothes and stepping into a nice steamy hot tub full of bathwater. It feels so good to relax so I close my eyes and sink into the bubbles. Startled awake by a knock on the bathroom door, I hadn't even realized that I had fallen asleep.

"Who is it?"

"It's mom. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I'm fine mom but I did doze off so thanks for waking me."

"No worries, dear. I'll see you in the morning."

"Night mom. I love you."

"I love you too, baby girl." My mom has called me that for years. Stepping out of the now lukewarm water, I grab a towel and dry myself off. After slipping my pajamas on, I crawl into bed and pull the covers over me. It doesn't take long for me to start dreaming.

 _"Damon, what are you doing?"_

 _"I'm going to kiss you."_

 _"Are you alright?"_

 _"Of course, what could be more right than kissing you?"_

 _"You're acting a little strange tonight."_

 _"Am I?" he asks, stepping in front of me. He reaches up to brush a strand of hair behind my ear before. Cradling my face with both of his hands, he presses a kiss to first my forehead and then the tip of my nose and lastly my lips. He kisses me so deeply that when he releases me, I gasp, needing a breath of air. Stunned and wide eyed, I reach up and touch my lips with my fingertips. And when I pull them away from my lips, I can only stare at them. It's only when I feel his fingers gently raising my chin that I look him in the eyes._

 _"You're so beautiful, Elena. I've wanted to do that ever since we saw each other again in the jailhouse."_

 _"Damon, are you sure?"_

 _"I'm positive, baby," he whispers, pressing another wispy kiss to my lips. With my mouth hanging open, I reach up to palm his cheeks, pulling his lips back to mine, kissing him fiercely. He takes my hand in his and leads me to a bed. He starts to unbutton my shirt, his thumb teasing my nipple just before he pushes my shirt off of my shoulders..._

Beep, beep, beep, sounds my alarm clock. I want to throw it into the wall for waking me up in the middle of that beautiful dream. I roll my legs over the side of the bed. After sitting for few moments, I drop my face into my hands, thinking where in the hell did that dream come from?

The next few days pass in a blur. I have other clients than just Damon so I focus on them for the time being. Just as I'm about to go home for the day since I think I'm getting the flu, I pick up my phone when it vibrates in my pocket. When I see who it is, rather than ignore it, I answer.

"Hi Ric."

"Hey. I'm calling to inform you that Eleanor Salvatore has been arrested for the murder of her husband. Do you want to come with me to see about getting Damon out?"

"Of course. I'm feeling a little under the weather, could you pick me up?"

"Maybe you should go home and go to bed?"

"No, I want to be there."

"Alright, I'll be there in a few," he tells me before clicking off the phone. Blowing out a puff of air, I drop back in my chair. As a smile forms on my face, I can't help but feel giddy that all of our hard work is finally paying off.

* * *

"Thanks for picking me up," I utter, laying my head on the backrest of the chair and closing my eyes.

"You're welcome," he starts to say. As soon as the DA, Brady Williams arrives, the three of us are escorted into Judge Nichol's chambers. After we all have a seat, the Judge joins us.

"I would imagine you're here about Mr. Salvatore?" he asks, opening up the file that Brady hands him.

"Yes, we'd like him to be released."

"You're sure he didn't kill Mr. Fell?" he asks.

"Yes, your honor. Pleading guilty was the only thing he could think of to protect his younger sister."

"Ah ha," I hear him utter while he looks through the new information in Damon's file.

"You have Mrs. Fell in custody?"

"Yes, Judge Nichols, we do. She was arrested last evening." Ric reveals.

"Alright then." Taking a piece of paper in hand, he signs what we soon learn is an order to have Damon released from jail. As soon as we have it in hand, we shake his hand, thanking him profusely. Ric and I also thank DA Williams. Quickly we leave his chambers and drive over to the jail. After giving the papers to the proper authorities, we take a seat while we wait for him to come out. Just as I'm about to doze off, my fever spiking, I see Damon walking towards us, satchel with his belongings in hand. As soon as he reaches us, Ric stands up and gives him a squeeze on the shoulder. I guess they go back since before Ric made homicide detective. Although I'm certain he's still ambivalent towards me, I can't keep the smile off of my face. Standing up, I start to say how happy I am that he's free when my knees buckle. The last thing I feel before the edges darken completely are his arms as they break my fall.

* * *

 _Damon is finally out of jail. There are still quite a few chapters of this story left to unfold._

 _Thank you so much Eva, for everything. I love you and your brilliant and insightful mind so very much._

 _And thank you to all of you for taking the time to read and review. I really appreciate them so much._

 _Chapter title: 'Broken Wings' by Mr. Mister_

 _'Tears in Heaven', 'Dig' and 'Nothing Left to Fear' are all in progress although we're closing in on the end of 'Tears'. Please give them a look._

 _Please click that review button. They're very important._

 _Be safe and have a fabulous weekend. We'll see you all next week._


	16. I Won't Back Down

"Wha.. what happened," I murmur when I open my eyes only to see Damon and Ric staring at me. When I try to sit up, my head starts to swim again so I lay back down and throw my arm over my eyes, startling when I suddenly feel wispy fingertips on my cheek.

"You have a fever. Why aren't you home in bed?"

"I'm not at home in bed because I wanted to be here when you got out. I'll go home now and get out of your way now, Damon," I utter, my vision blurring once more when I try to sit upright but I push through it and do so anyway. When the floor starts spinning, I drop my face into my hands, closing my eyes for a few more seconds.

"Let me take you home," Ric offers. Extending his hand, I nod, grasping on for dear life when I start to sway again as soon as I'm upright. I don't miss the concerned look that Ric gives me.

"I'm fine, let's go," I snap, starting to walk away. The next thing I know, I'm being lifted into Damon's arms. Ric carries his satchel and the three of us walk out of the building, Damon depositing me in the front seat and buckling my seatbelt. Still feeling a bit dizzy, I lay my head back and close my eyes, falling asleep almost immediately.

When I feel a nudge against my shoulder, my eyes flash open. I quickly sit upright in the seat, a wave of nausea suddenly churning in my gut. Taking a few deep breaths, I shake it off, unbuckle my safety belt and step out of the car. Ric and Damon immediately do the same, following me into my apartment so I don't collapse before I get there. Once inside, I barely make it to the couch when I go down again.

"Maybe you should let me take you to the emergency room, Elena. I don't like leaving you here alone if you can't stay upright for more than a few steps. You're probably dehydrated and hypotensive."

"I'm fine, Ric. I'm going to take a steaming hot bath and then crawl into bed."

"Fine, but promise you'll call if you need something. I consider you a friend."

"Ah, thanks, Ric. The feeling is mutual." Forcing a smile on my face, I reach up to wipe the sweat off of my brow.

"Do you have someplace to go, Damon?"

Although, I can tell he's still mad because he never was any good at hiding his emotions, his eyes dart everywhere before finally settling on mine. After raking a hand through his messy dark hair, he starts to speak, "I thought I'd go over to Caroline's to see if I can get my tiny apartment back."

"I think she already rented that out, Damon. You pled guilty to murder, she never expected that you would ever come back."

"You can stay with me for the time being. I do have a spare bedroom. It's the one on the right side of the hall. If I feel better tomorrow, we can drive to mom and dad's house so you can see Stefanie."

"I don't want to impose..," he answers, looking into my living room. When I look that way myself, I discreetly smile when I see that his attention is on a photo of our family when he was still with us. He was eleven or twelve then and I was thirteen or fourteen. I don't remember for sure. His eyes dart to the TV and to some of the other photos on the walls. I have a couple of movie posters framed. The original King Kong from 1931 and a Raiders of the Lost Ark poster. Even though those movies were made long before our time, daddy, Damon and I used to love to watch them with a bowl of popcorn in our laps.

"You're not imposing, Damon. I'm under no illusion that you're not still angry with me. I know you better than that. Perhaps you can stay with mom and dad till you can get on your feet if you don't want to stay here. Please don't argue with me tonight, I really need to get to bed and you need to call Stefanie to tell her that you're free," I stress to him, running my hand through my hair.

"If you want to go to see her today, here's my car keys."

He gives me a nod when I drop them into his hands. I give him a tense smile before turning back to Ric.

"Can you can see yourself out, Ric. Damon, feel free to make yourself at home. I'm going to bed now."

Wobbling a bit when I stand up, he quickly grabs my arm before I go down again. Once we're in my bedroom, he makes sure I'm safely seated on the bedside before he walks out, stopping for a millisecond to look back at me before pulling the door closed behind him. Without bothering to clean up, I kick off my shoes, peel off my clothes and then I crawl under the covers, falling asleep immediately.

* * *

Although my head spins a little when I throw my legs over the side of the bed, I force myself to get up. After using the bathroom, I throw on my bathrobe to see if Damon is still here. I breath an inner sigh of relief when I see him thumbing through my newspaper, a cup of coffee in his hand. Swallowing back my nerves, I walk over, pull out a chair and sit down, opposite him.

"Good morning, Damon."

"Hi..., do you feel any better?" When he reaches over to press his hand on my forehead, I hold my breath.

"You still feel feverish."

"I need to go to work, I have other clients..," I start to say. When the smell of his scrambled eggs makes my stomach churn, I quickly jump out of my chair to run to the bathroom. Clutching the toilet bowl, the dry heaves come in waves, hurting my stomach because there's nothing in it to throw up. Dropping my forehead against the cold porcelain, I'm surprised when I feel him pull my hair back when I start retching again, only bile coming out.

"You're not going anywhere."

When he lets my hair go, I look up to see him moistening a washcloth. Using it, he wipes my forehead and then my mouth. After rinsing it out again, he places it on the back of my neck. Shakily, I get to my feet, he grabs onto me just to be on the safe side and walks me to bed.

"Do you want me to call your dad?"

"No, I don't want to worry them. Did you go to see Stefanie yesterday?"

"No, I called her. I'm in no position to drive to the house. I meant what I said, you're more than welcome to take my car if you want."

"I don't know that I should leave you home alone?"

"Damon, I'm a grown woman. I can take care of myself."

"I know that, Elena. But still, I don't want to get back here and find you collapsed on a heap on the floor or something."

"Don't be so melodramatic," I utter while he pulls back the covers. Dutifully I lay back down.

"Do you need to call your work?"

"Yes. Thank you for reminding me."

He nods. When he sees my cellphone on my bedside stand, he hands it to me. After making the call, I close my eyes, falling asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.

* * *

As soon as I wake up, I roll onto my side to pick up my clock, my eyes widening when I see it's already just before six in the evening.

"Crap," I utter aloud, throwing my legs over the side of the bed. Shaking off my stupor, I look at the bedroom door when I hear voices in my apartment. Curious as to who's here, I put my slippers and bathrobe on before stumbling out of my bedroom. I breathe a sigh of relief when I see dad and Stefanie sitting beside Damon on the couch. They all have a smile on their face.

"You're awake," dad remarks, standing up and walking over to stand in front of me. He palms my face and frowns.

"You still have a temperature. Come, sit down, I'll get you some Advil."

"Thanks, daddy."

He walks me over to the recliner. Once I'm safely seated, he walks into the kitchen. I hear the refrigerator door open and close along with the cupboard door. He walks back into the room, handing me a couple of pills and a bottle of water.

"Are you sick, Elena?" Stefanie asks. Stepping over, she gives me a hug. Smiling despite my sickness, I hug her back then tell her to step away so she doesn't get sick too.

"Just a little bit, sweetie."

I smile widely despite myself when I see her cuddle into Damon's side again. I melt a little on the inside when he gives me a tentative smile before turning his attention back to her, dropping a kiss to the top of her head.

"Elena, why are you sick?" Katherine asks, walking out of my spare bedroom, rubbing her eyes.

"Did you have a nap too?" I ask, motioning for her to come by me.

"I didn't sleep good. I didn't wanna but daddy made me go to sleep?" she pouts.

"She fell asleep in the car. I laid her in the bedroom when we got here," dad interrupts, raising an eyebrow at Katherine. Pouting, she moves to stand in front of me. Suddenly she throws her arms around my neck, dropping her head on my shoulder. Obviously still tired, she reaches up to cover her mouth when she yawns widely again.

"Who's he?" she asks, her eyes on Damon.

"Katherine, Damon is my brother," Stefanie adds, walking over, she offers her hand. Katherine stares at it for a second before grabbing on, tagging along when Stefanie pulls her towards Damon.

"Damon this is Katherine."

"Well hello, Katherine. I'm happy to meet you," he says to her, smiling that panty dropping grin of his causing a shiver of lust to run up my spine. I don't miss the curious look that my dad gives me.

"I just felt a chill."

"Maybe you should go back to bed?"

"Not yet or I won't sleep later. Besides, how can I turn my back on my company?"

Feeling slighted, Katherine interrupts, "You're Stefi's brother like Jeremy is mine?"

"Yes, I am. Thank you for being a such a good friend to her."

"She's not my friend, she's my sister," Katherine sasses back then gives Stefanie a hug, causing me to melt all over again. I love my little sister. Dad smiles widely too, taking a seat on the couch beside Damon and the girls who are now sandwiched in between them.

"I see that," Damon adds, smiling approvingly.

"Do you have any plans, Damon?"

"Well papa, I haven't given a lot of thought to it yet. I know that I need to find a job and a place to stay. Elena mentioned it too but I wanted to ask you if Stefanie could stay with you till things calm down. I need to be able to provide for her."

"Need you even ask? We love both of you, Damon. Honestly, I hate the thought of her leaving but I know that you'll do right by her when the time comes. I wish I could've protected you and Stefanie from all of this. I do hope you'll be able to forgive us someday."

"I don't hold what happened to me against you. You had no way of knowing that woman was Satan in the flesh."

A smile again forces its way on my lips when I see the two of them stand up and embrace each other.

"I like staying with them, Damon. They treat me real good," Stefanie whispers, raising her emerald green eyes at him.

"They treated me real good when I lived with them too, Stef," Damon adds, his eyes moving from dad's to mine and then to Stefanie's. He gives her another hug.

"Is anyone hungry?" Standing up and albeit a little unsteady, I go to my menu drawer to see if we can agree on something to be delivered. I'm really in mood to cook and my appetite is sorely lacking.

"Are you going to eat something?"

"No Damon, I'm not really hungry but you guys can get something to eat."

"Elena, you rest. We'll go out to get something to eat then I'll bring Damon back here so we can go home."

"Thanks, daddy." Once they leave, I go back to my room and crawl back into bed. Soon, dreams fill my subconscious again.

 _"Damon," I breathe, when he smashes his lips to mine. I feel his hands reach up to cradle my face so he can tip my head just the way he wants it, my knees weakening when he tilts my head, deepening the kiss. When he pulls away, my bosom is heaving. Finally taking his gaze from my chest, he drops a kiss to my nose and a kiss to each eyelid and another to each earlobe. He gives me a wink before attacking my neck with nips and kisses working his way down to my cleavage. It takes every ounce of willpower I have but I push him away. With a lascivious grin of my own, I start unbuttoning my blouse, letting it drop from my shoulders. Rather than be embarrassed, I feel empowered when I see his mouth drop open._

 _He closes the distance between us again, cradling my cheeks and pulling my lips to his. The kiss is heady and full of love and promise. I could live the rest of my life connected to his lips. Fireworks are bursting in my head and my nerves are crackling with electricity with each touch of his skin on mine. Letting go, he reaches around and unclasps my bra, slowly pulling the straps down my arms. When I see his eyes brimming with lust for me, I shiver, chill bumps erupting all over my body. This time, it's me who closes the distance. Licking my lips, I grab onto the hem of his tee shirt and rip it over his head. A gasp escapes my lips when I see his rippled abs._

 _"You like what you see?" he smirks, flashing his eye thing at me. He's always, always made me melt when he waggles his brows like that._

 _"Very much so," I breathe. Acting on their own volition, I run my hands along his beautifully sculpted chest. A needy moan escapes my mouth when he lowers his lips, latching onto one of my nipples. Giving me a wink, he lifts me into his arms and carries me to the bedroom. After dropping me on the bed, he shimmies out of his sweat pants, exposing himself to me for the first time. My eyes widen when I see how well endowed he is so to speak. Using his tongue, he runs it along his lips sensuously. And then he stalks up my body, encircling a nipple with his mouth, suckling greedily. My body is undulating as if it had a mind of its own. The pleasure he's giving me is unparalleled. Shuddering as a surge of lust runs up my spine, I drop my head back, savoring every tug of his mouth on my breast._

 _After letting go of my nipple with a plop, he sits back on his haunches. With a twinkle in his eyes, he pulls my jeans and panties down my legs. Once he chucks them over his shoulder, he lowers his face to the apex of my thighs. Again I shudder when he lifts one of my legs over each shoulder. I find myself unable to move my eyes when he sticks out his tongue to take a swipe of my..._

When the _Darth Vader_ theme starts to play, I lurch upright. Although my head is hazy, my body buzzing with the imaginary pleasure he was giving me, I pick up my Star Wars alarm clock and throw it at the wall. I give myself a satisfactory fist pump when it's finally silent. Rolling out of bed, I walk into the bathroom. After showering and getting dressed, I walk out to the kitchen, smiling when I see Damon there once again.

Taking a breath, I walk to the cupboard to pull out a coffee mug, filling it before sitting down opposite him.

"What's on the agenda for today?" he asks, not lifting his eyes from the newspaper.

"I thought we should go to talk to the DA. He'll probably want you to testify. Then I have to talk to Nick Mikaelson and Matt Donovan. They both put a lot of work into helping us free you. It was just dumb luck that the witness happened to hear your mom bragging about killing your stepfather," I mention, my eyes meeting his when he raises them for a moment.

"Matt helped you?"

"Yep and so did Nick. I need to thank them."

"I'll go with you. I'd like to go to talk to Caroline about getting a job cooking at her restaurant. She always said that I knew what I was doing in the kitchen."

"Well, I hope it works out for you, Damon. You are more than welcome to stay here as long as you need to. I mean, you'll need to save money for a down payment on an apartment. Plus you'll need money to put aside for when you take custody of Stefanie."

"I don't know that I'm going to take Stef. It's pretty clear that she's happy and well cared for. She seems to have bonded with papa which surprised me since he's a man, you know?"

"I do. But all men aren't monsters like Fell was, Damon. You're not a monster and neither is my dad or your real dead for that matter."

"I really don't remember him. I only know that he was a hero and that he's buried in Arlington National Cemetery. I'd like to go to see him there sometime."

"I hope you can."

"Listen, Elena. I'm still angry with you for involving Stefanie in all of this. She seems happy now but that still doesn't excuse you for going against my wishes."

"I've apologized up the wazoo for that. I'm not going to do so again. If you can't accept it, it's your problem." Angered, I stand up and put my cup in the sink and walk out of the kitchen to get my purse and phone. Once I come back, he has the dishes in the drain board.

"Are you coming with me?"

"Yes, I'll come along."

He grabs his jacket then follows me out of my apartment. After stopping at a hardware store to have a copy of my apartment key made for Damon, we go downtown to meet Matt and Nick at Caroline's diner. Of course, she pulled him into her arms, giving him a great big hug as soon as she laid eyes on him. Although she has a cook right now, she promised him that he would be the first one that she'd call when and if he quits. Because someone is already renting that room, Damon will be living with me for right now. Surprising even myself, I don't have a problem with him living with me. I just wish he'd give up the anger already. My lord does that man know how to hold a grudge. Feeling a little sick to my stomach again, I ask Caroline for a glass of Sprite. Sipping it, I zone out while the four of them are visiting. I snap out of my reverie when I feel a nudge in the ribs from Damon.

"Sorry, I guess I'm still not up to snuff."

"Are you not feeling well, Elena?" Matt asks, taking a sip of his coffee.

"I've just had a touch of the flu. I'm fine, Matt, but thanks for asking."

"Okay, I'm glad to hear it."

"Damon, if you're interested, I could use someone with your street smarts," Nick mentions, bringing his water glass to his mouth.

"Really? What would you want me to do?"

"Why don't you come to my office tomorrow and we'll have a chat. Right now I have to go to meet a client."

"What time?" Damon asks, standing up when Nick does to shake his hand.

"Why don't you come around four. I should be free by then."

"Thanks Nick, I really appreciate it."

"No worries. I'll see you tomorrow." Once Nick leaves, the rest of us finish our drinks, say goodbye to Matt and Caroline and then the two of us go back to my apartment.

* * *

The rest of the week goes by without incident. Damon has started working with Nick as a PI in training. I really don't like that he's hanging around in the seedy areas of town. He's also helping Matt with some of his charges, trying to keep them out of trouble. He calls Stefanie every day. She's really blossoming since he got out of jail. Maybe a part of her felt guilty thinking that he was in jail for something she did? Eleanor Fell is being arraigned on charges of second degree murder since obviously it wasn't premeditated. She had an opportunity fall into her lap and she took it. Damon is a bit anxious about testifying but he's bound and determined to do so after she was more than willing to let him spend the rest of his life in jail for a crime that she committed.

Needing a break, I'm meeting Bonnie at one of the pubs downtown. She's bringing her boyfriend, Enzo, along with her. I haven't heard anything from Damon since he left the house this morning. We're civil to each other but that's about it. It's quite apparent that he's still letting his anger at me fester. But that's his problem not mine. I can't spend the rest of my life apologizing for something that not only helped Stefanie immensely but Damon too. I hate it that he stars in every dream of late too. Somehow I have to stop crushing on him since the feelings are obviously not reciprocated.

When I walk into the bar, I look around, smiling when I see Bonnie waving at me. Waving back, I push my way through the crowd to join her. Blowing out a puff of air, I slide into her booth.

"I'm so glad you came," Bonnie says to me, raising her eyes when her boyfriend sits down beside her, holding a pitcher of beer and three glasses.

"Thanks, Enzo."

"It's good to see you Elena. How are things in the public defenders office?"

"I have a lot of work to do when Monday rolls around again. I had the flu so I missed a few days of work at the end of last week and Monday."

"You're okay now, yes?"

"Yes, I'm fine." The three of us laugh and drink till I'm more than a bit tipsy. Feeling the need to pee, I get up to go to the bathroom. When I come out, I walk up to the bar to order a shot of tequila. I chug it down, almost choking up a lung when I see Damon sharing spit with a buxom blonde.

* * *

 _Happy Spring!_

 _Clearly they have some issues to work though yet. Damon is being a bit unreasonable and Elena is as headstrong as he is. But you know, if things were easy between them, we never would've fallen head over heels in love with their story._

 _Thank you so much Eva. Love you lots._

 _Also a massive thanks to all of you that take the time to review. They really are so important to a writer. They're great incentive to keep writing. Eva and I are busy crafting a couple of new DE stories right now._

 _Chapter title: 'I Won't Back Down' by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers_

 _I posted the conclusion to 'Tears in Heaven' yesterday. Watch for 'Nothing Left to Fear' to update soon. 'Dig' is also still in progress. Would love to hear your thoughts on those as well._

 _Much love to the citizens of Brussels. I doubt that you'll see this Charlotte but on the oft chance that you do, I'm grateful that you and your someone and your family are safe. Love and big hugs sent your way._

 _BE SAFE, BE AWARE, have a wonderful day and a beautiful weekend. See you next time._


	17. Hit Me With Your Best Shot

**_Thank you all for putting this over 300 reviews. It really means the world to me. And as my thanks, here's chapter 17._**

* * *

With my eyes nearly bugging out of my head, I push my shot glass back to the bartender. Feeling the need to bleach my eyeballs after seeing that, I thank the bartender and swallow back the second one. What the hell could he possibly see in her? My eyes dart from her well-endowed chest to my considerably less well-endowed bosom, it's not hard to understand his attraction. Sneering, I walk off in disgust.

Just as I start to turn on my heals to rejoin Bonnie, he pulls away from nuzzling her neck, widening his eyes for a millisecond before that trademark smirk graces his face. What I wouldn't do to wipe the floor with that shit-eating grin of his? Although my fuse has definitely been lit, a part of me wishes that he press his lips to mine just like that. Taking a moment to inhale a deep breath, I square my shoulders, turn around and head back to the booth I'm sharing with Bonnie and Enzo.

"Hey Elena," he bellows, walking over to me, the blonde trailing dutifully behind.

"Damon?"

"Do mind if I bring someone home with me tonight?"

His speech is slurred and I can tell by the look in his eyes that he's drunk. Crossing my arms over my chest, I get in his face, blowing my own alcohol-laden breath at him.

"Are you being serious right now?" I snap, unable to hide the disgust in my voice. A shiver surges through me when he leans in, placing his lips and tongue at my earlobe

"Yeah, I'm serious. I haven't gotten laid in a long time," he slurs, moistening my earlobe with his saliva. Shuddering, I pull my head back and tighten my brows angrily.

"And you're not going to start tonight at least not under my roof. If you want to take her, you're going to have to find someplace else to get _it_ wet."

"You can join in if you want," he whispers, waggling his eyebrows at me. Unable to say anything, I give him a shove, sending him sprawling to the floor. Shaking my head, I give him another scathing look then slide back into the booth.

"The nerve of that man," I blurt out, focusing my gave in on Bonnie and Enzo who are both staring, mouths agape.

"Who is he?"

"He was my client, now he's just an ass. I've had a little too much to drink so I'm going to go home. I'll give you a call tomorrow."

"Do you need a ride home?"

"No, I'd rather walk and let the salty sea air clear my head."

"Be careful."

"Don't worry about that. I'm packing," I utter, holding my purse close.

"You go girl. Text me when you get home. If you don't, Enzo and I will start looking for you."

"Thank you, Bonnie. Love you," I add, giving her a hug. After saying goodbye to Enzo, I walk out of the bar and right back into an inebriated Damon. Not wanting to waste anymore time on him, I push him aside and continue down the sidewalk. Much to my dismay, he stumbles after me, yelling for me to stop. Having heard enough, I fist my hands repeatedly at my sides before turning around, my lips curling into a sneer.

"What more could you possibly want?"

"Why did you have to ruin my fun?"

"If _little_ Damon is so desperate for a quick fuck, why couldn't you take him to her place?" He nearly topples over by the time he finally reaches me. Putting an arm on each shoulder, he once again gives me shivers when he leans forward, his hot breath teasing the hairs on my neck.

"Little Damon isn't so little I'll have you know," he blurts out, waggling his brows suggestively before taking a step back.

"Well, if not so little, _little_ Damon is so needy, why didn't you follow her home rather than annoy me?"

"Cause her boyfriend is there."

Rolling my eyes in disdain, I can't even look at him anymore so I turn around and start to walk off again. This time I ignore him when he stumbles onto the grass. Turning around, I shake my head when I see him laying on the ground. When I inadvertently feel the bottle of water stuffed into my bag, a great big smile forms on my face. Without wasting another second, I pull it out, unscrew the lid and walk over to him. Reveling in the moment, I pour it on him. Flying upright, he scrubs his hands across his face while sputtering nonsense. Once he's on his feet he starts to round on me.

"What the hell?" he screams, his arms flailing angrily.

"You deserved every drop of that for trying to bring a strange woman into my home. When you get your own place, you can do whatever the hell you want but you will not behave like a hormonal teenaged boy while you're living with me."

"You know what? I will find my own place. Just who died and made you the queen anyway?"

"Seriously, Damon?"

Furious, I throw my arms in the air and stalk off, not stopping till I get to my apartment. Not long after I text Bonnie to let her know that I got home, he walks through the door, nearly tripping on his own two feet. He just barely reaches the couch before he falls onto it face first. Not wanting to deal with him, I grit my teeth, throw a blanket over him, lock the front door and then quickly escape to my bedroom. After turning off the light, I get under the covers and pull them over my head. Even as angry as I am with him, I still feel tears prick at my eyes, knowing that I probably don't mean anything to him anymore. Under the influence of both alcohol and fatigue, it doesn't take long for me to fall into an uneasy sleep.

* * *

When I get up the next morning, I slip into my bathrobe before walking out of the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. Surprisingly, he's already awake, the carafe full of coffee. I'm still so angry that I don't even want to look at him. I reach up into the cupboard to get myself a mug. As soon as I fill it, I take a deep swallow, sighing heavily after I chug it down. After setting the cup down, I pull open the refrigerator door to see if I can find something to eat. Seeing a carton of eggs, I grab them, a package of sliced ham, some cheese and an onion. Once I have the meat, cheese and onions chopped up, I mix them with my eggs and pour them into the skillet.

Taking a breath, I pick up my mug and drink another big swallow of my coffee. Using my free hand, I turn my eggs so they won't burn. Seems we're both at odds because he has yet to look at me, let alone speak to me. Seeing that my eggs are done, I reach into the cupboard, pulling a couple of plates out. Since I don't see any dirty dishes in the sink, I'd venture to guess that he hasn't eaten yet.

"Do you want some?"

"If it's not too much trouble?"

"Come on, Damon. I'm not going to let you starve," I utter, rolling my eyes when I turn away from him. After plating up the eggs, I hand him one and set mine down on the table. I pull the silverware drawer open, handing him a fork and taking one for myself before joining him at the table.

"So, about last night..."

"I really don't want to talk about it."

"Damon, we need to set some ground rules. I just don't want to hear you getting down and dirty!"

"Why? Has it been that long?" his voice laden with contempt.

Seeing red, I stand up and slap him across the face. When I hear the crack of my palm against his cheek, I step back, my eyes glued to my open hand, not really believing that I actually struck him. Flying out of his seat, the sound of the chair legs scraping against the linoleum snaps me out of my reverie. Grabbing my hand, he encloses it in his fist, the malice in his eyes unnerving. Bending my arm at the elbow, he leans in so our noses are almost touching. Although I feel more than a little intimidated, I can't let him see that so I stiffen my spine and keep my focus on him.

Giving me a scathing look, the venom in his eyes is enough to make my heart thrum wildly against my chest wall. With his voice calm but deadly in tone, he tells me never to do that again. As soon as he lets go, I step back, widening the distance between us.

"I'm so...,"

"Don't. I don't want to hear your apologies. I don't want to see you or talk to you or have anything to do with you. I'm leaving and I won't be back."

"Where are you going to go?" I ask, swallowing down my anger and my fear.

"I have no idea but I'd rather go back to the street than stay here with you." The disdain in his voice is unmistakable.

Even though it cuts me to the core to hear those things, I square my shoulders and try my hardest to keep my voice steady when I ask, "Why are you so angry with me?"

"You're really not that stupid are you?"

Stunned speechless, I stare at him with my mouth agape.

"I'm haven't been the Damon that you used to know for a very long time. I had to grow up and either you learn to accept me for who I am or leave me the hell alone."

He gives me another venomous glare before putting his plate in the sink and stalking off. In mere moments, I hear my front door slam shut. I run to his room to see that all of his things are gone. He only brought a duffle bag over here so he didn't have anything to pack anyway. Stumbling back to the living room, I collapse on the couch, dropping my face into my hands, my tears falling unbidden.

* * *

Having not seen or heard from Damon since he stalked out of my apartment all those weeks ago, I go about my days like I used to before I found him again. I still keep in touch with Nick, Matt and Ric since they've all become good friends. Glancing at my watch, I see that it's lunch time. Grabbing my bag, I hurry out, running across the street to the diner. Once we order, I look out of the window, staring at nothing in particular.

"Elena?"

"Sorry, Matt. I was just thinking."

"Something bothering you?"

"I haven't seen Damon since he stalked out of my apartment a few weeks ago. I'm still angry with him and honestly, I'm glad I don't have to see him but I still worry," I tell him truthfully, seeing no benefit to lying.

"I ran into him at Caroline's about a week ago."

"Do you know where he's staying?"

"Nick owns an apartment complex, old money and all of that," he laughs. "His brother got married and moved out so Damon is staying there.. at least for the time being. Nick tells me he's doing a bang up job for him."

"At least he's not on the street."

"If I'm intruding, tell me but did you two have a falling out or something?"

"Or something is right. We both had too much to drink one night and words were said that can't be unsaid. He left in a huff and I haven't seen him since."

"I'm sorry, Elena."

"Me too. I think I focused too much on the Damon that I grew up with instead the Damon who's here now."

"It's easy to reminisce about the good times you shared and I never knew that Damon but perhaps distance will do you both some good. It'll give both time to put things into perspective. I'm certain he still cares about you, Elena. That doesn't get thrown out the window just because of an argument. Give him some time."

Sighing, I nod slightly before continuing, "Maybe? I really don't want to talk about him anymore. How are you?"

"I'm good. My oldest son is going to play football for his high school team. He's a big burly kid. My daughters Sofia and Tina will be starting eighth grade. I can't believe they grew up so fast."

"That's great. I'd love to watch him play sometime and I'd love to meet your daughters."

"I'll let you know. Oh, Pattie said to tell you hi and on that note, I need to get going," he says, standing up. Just before walking away, he turns around, a look of concern evident on his features.

"I know you and Damon are at odds now for lack of a better word but don't give up on him. He needs his friends and people that care about him."

"If you see him, tell him I said hello."

"I will. Bye now," he says, walking away this time. Dropping my head into my hands, I just sit there for several minutes before getting up myself. After throwing away our empty cups, I get up to go back to my office and bury myself in my work.

* * *

"Do you need some help, mom?" I ask when I join her in the kitchen.

"Sure, you can make that loaf of French bread into garlic toast. Slice it up, then put some of that garlic butter I made on it. Nodding, I pull a knife out of the drawer and start slicing up the bread. When I'm done buttering it, I put it on a cookie sheet and sprinkle it with mozzarella cheese.

"Do you want some help making the meatballs?"

"Sure. Is something bothering you, sweetheart?"

"Not at all. I'm just busy at work. I have some new clients and their cases are complicated."

"I'm sure you'll do your best for them."

"Yeah, I will. I haven't heard Katherine or Stefanie's voices yet. Are they home?"

"Jeremy took Katherine to a movie. Stefanie went with Damon for the weekend."

"Really?"

"He said he'd bring her home tomorrow evening," she says, forming the meatballs up with her hands.

"I didn't know he had a car."

"I guess it belongs to his boss. Since he needs transportation for his job, the guy gave him carte blanche to use it." Pulling my lower lip between my teeth, I stare at nothing for a few moments.

"Are you sure nothing is bothering you?"

"I'm fine, mom," I reassure her. After giving her a smile, I dig my hands in her hamburger mixture and help her make meatballs for our spaghetti dinner.

* * *

"You know, you could take a mom's night off and come stay with me for a night," I suggest to my mom while we wash and dry the dishes. We have a dishwasher but mom doesn't use it all that often. For what it's worth, I don't mind helping her.

"You know, I like that idea. It would have to be a weekend though when the kids don't have school activities. Probably a Saturday night."

"How about next Saturday?"

"That works for me. Oh maybe not, dad and Jeremy have plans to go deep sea fishing next weekend. Perhaps I could ask Damon to watch the girls?"

"I guess. Does Katherine like him?"

"It's safe to say that your little sister has a crush on him. He's very good with her."

"Does he come here often?"

"He tries to come to see Stefanie at least once a week, usually on the weekend. When he brings her back tomorrow night, I'm going to ask him to stay for supper."

"How is he?"

"Good as far as I know. He's gained some weight but it's mostly muscle. He told me that he's been working out, saying he needs to be buff and strong for his job."

"Really? He's buff now, huh?" My eyes widen a bit when I see the smile that forms on my mom's face.

"He is looking mighty fine. If I was a younger lady...,"

"Mom?" I sputter, breaking out in laughter.

"Does he like his job?"

"I think so. He usually has a smile on his face when he's here but Damon was always good at wearing the mask so to speak. I remember young Damon quite well. When he was upset about something, he'd try to hide it. But your dad and I got pretty good at deciphering his moods. That young man can't pull anything over on me anymore. I'm so glad that you were able to help him and Stefanie. She's only had one bad dream in the last month."

"That's great mom. Do you think that he'll take custody of her?"

"Actually he told us that she's really happy here and that she has a family. He asked us if we'd consider adopting her?"

"Really? I would've thought he'd want to have her in his home?"

"He's only twenty five, Elena. Raising a teenager, almost teenager in Stefanie's case, is a hell of a responsibility. He said his job hours are all over the place. It's just easier on both of them if she stays with us. In some respects, Damon is that same little boy and in others, he's a completely different young man."

"I realize that."

"And if Stefanie stays here, he'll still be a huge part of her life and ours. It's just that here, she has a stable life and a nice home. He's free to see her and take her out whenever he chooses. It's really a win for all of us if dad and I agree to it."

"Wow, I just...," I start to mumble, my voice trailing off.

"What's going on between you two anyway? Don't you talk to him?"

"I honestly don't know anymore. We had a fight, I slapped him and he left in a huff. I haven't talked to him since."

"Oh sweetheart. Do you want to talk about it?"

"Nope! If he doesn't want me in his life, it's his loss."

"If there's anything I can do, you will tell me won't you?"

"I will."

"I'll tell you a little secret. He asks about you from time to time too."

"Really?"

"Yep." After she hands me the final pan, I dry it and put it away. Lost in my thoughts, I tell her that I'm going for a run, grab my hoodie and practically run outside and down the block.

* * *

"I have an early morning tomorrow so I'm going to head back to Myrtle Beach," I tell everyone when I come downstairs with my overnight bag in hand.

"I'll walk you outside," dad says, standing up. Katherine is so involved in the Disney movie they're watching that she doesn't even look up.

"Katherine, go say goodbye to your sister," mom chastises her. My sister is quite the little actress, sticking her lower lip way out and crossing her arms over her chest.

"But mama, I want to watch my show."

"See there..," she says, using the remote to pause the movie.

"Tell Elena goodbye then we'll finish watching it. Maybe I'll even make you some popcorn while it's paused."

"Yay popcorn," she yelps, clapping loudly. Then she runs over to the doorway, throws her arms around my middle and gives me a tight squeeze.

"Bye, Lena. When ya coming again?"

"I don't know. Mom is going to come to see me Saturday so probably the weekend after next."

"Can I come along with mama?"

"No, it's a grown up girls night."

"No fair," she pouts, stalking into the kitchen to help mom with the popcorn. Shaking my head, I tell Jeremy goodbye before walking outside. Dad carries my bag, setting it in the passenger seat. Just as I'm about to embrace my dad, Damon and Stefanie drive up. Holding my breath, I watch as he steps out of the car, grabs her things and walks her to the door without even bothering to look at me. I know that he knows I'm here. Well two can play at that game, I think to myself.

After saying goodbye to my dad, I get in my car and drive away, angered yet again by his behavior.

* * *

Weeks pass before I accidentally run into him, again as he was dropping Stefanie off at my parents home. We have barely said two words to each other since our row that morning in my apartment. If I were to be honest with myself, I do miss him. He came back into my life only for me to lose him again. Still, I'm not sorry I did what I did. He wouldn't be able to spend time with Stefanie except an hour here or there while behind bars if I hadn't acted the way I did. Even though I assume he's still angry about it, I wouldn't change what I did. At least Stefanie gets to have her brother in her life.

Her nightmares have nearly ceased. Occasionally she has one yet but they're rare now for which I'm grateful. Sighing heavily, I look at myself in the mirror. I'm trying to primp a little bit to go out with Bonnie and Enzo again. We haven't gone out since the night that it all fell apart. When I hear a knock on my front door, I quickly put some lipstick on, turn off the bathroom light and go to answer the door.

"Hey girlfriend," Bonnie greets me with a one armed hug.

"Where's Enzo?"

"He's in the car. He figured we'd go quicker if the car was running." I laugh despite myself when she rolls her eyes.

"I just need to grab my bag then we can go. I walk back into my bedroom to get it. After locking my front door, I follow Bonnie outside, getting in the backseat. About fifteen minutes later, he pulls into the pub's parking lot. The three of us jump out. My mouth drops when I see Ric and his wife walking up to the entrance.

"Ric, how are you?" I ask, walking over to him. He gives me a light hug, introducing me to his wife, Jenna when we pull apart. The three of us talk amongst ourselves, stopping only when Enzo and Bonnie catch up to us. I introduce Bonnie and Enzo to them, we chat for a few minutes before going our separate ways once we step inside. I'm having a really good time this evening and although I feel a buzz, I don't feel drunk. I get out of our booth and walk up to the bar to speak to get to know Jenna a little better since her husband is a good friend. After buying them each a drink, I take the seat beside Jenna, visiting with her and exchanging phone number, our reverie broken when I feel the tap of a finger on my shoulder.

Smiling when I see that it's Enzo, I tell Jenna and Ric goodbye before letting Enzo lead me onto the dance floor. I fall into his arms because it's a slow dance, closing my eyes as I get lost in the music. When the song ends, we break apart, Bonnie walking over to us to have the next dance with her man. I give Bonnie a quick hug before walking off of the dance floor. Yawning and feeling like a I need a breath of fresh air, I reach for my bag and walk outside, walking around to the side of the building.

Suddenly someone grabs my arm. Startled and afraid, I turn to see who grabbed me. "Tyler?"

"Elena," he sing songs, squeezing my upper arm tighter as he pulls me further into the darkness.

"What are you doing? Let me go," I demand, trying to free his fingers from my arm.

"You little slut, don't think I didn't see how you were flaunting yourself in front of every man in there? Were you doing that when you were with me too?" he slurs, blowing his putrid breath in my face.

"We're not together anymore and I was doing no such thing," I snap, still trying to free myself from his grasp. When he brings his other hand up to cup my neck, I start to get scared. Suddenly he's forcing his lips on mine and when I refuse to open my mouth, he bits down hard, drawing blood.

Although I strike out at him as hard as I can with my free arm, he doesn't let go, his fingernails digging into the back of neck till he pulls away. As soon as he loosens his iron grip, I start to run farther into the alley. With fear erupting everywhere in my body, I forget that it's a dead end. Near panic, my eyes dart all around looking for a way to escape. It's then that realization dawns on me that I'm trapped, no avenue with which to flee available. Although I'm quite literally shaking with fear on the inside, I don't want him to know that so I start hitting at him with a flurry of closed fists, even going so far as to spit in his face when he closes the distance between us again. After I land a hard right hook to his jaw, he shoves me against the wall and slaps me so hard that I literally see stars.

When he starts to open the button on his pants, I literally panic. My heart is pounding like a jackhammer inside my chest causing me to hyperventilate. Knowing that I have nowhere to run to, I start to scream. After lowering his zipper, he slaps me again so hard that my eyes roll. Feeling the sting at the corner of my mouth, I reach up with shaky fingertips, a gasp leaving my lips when I see my blood on them. Feeling my knees weakening, I try to reason with him once more.

"Tyler, you have to stop. This isn't you," I plead, standing up. He reaches down, grasps onto the hem of my dress and then shimmies it up my thighs, revealing my underwear. As hard as I try to fight back, he has me pinned. Terrified and knowing what's about to happen, I close my eyes and try to escape to the deepest recesses in my mind.

* * *

 _Thank you so much, Eva. I would truly be lost without your insight and wise council and amazing friendship._

 _Thanks so much to all of you for reading and reviewing. I appreciate it so much._

 _Chapter title: 'Hit Me With Your Best Shot' Pat Benatar_

 _My lovely friend, Florencia7 updated 'Let There Be Light' yesterday. It's her take on a post S6 and it's fabulous._

 _Please also give 'Dig' and 'Nothing Left to Fear' a look._

 _And do remember to click that review button. They're the reason I keep writing._

 _Be safe and have a wonderful day. More to come.._


	18. Hold My Hand

_**Thank you all for the amazing response to chapter 17.**_

* * *

My body surrenders one moment and in the next, the smell his alcohol-laden putrid breath and the weight of his body on mine is suddenly, inexplicably gone. With Tyler no longer supporting me, my legs give out. Crashing to the ground in a heap and petrified beyond measure I'm almost afraid to open my already puffy eyes. Somehow I find the courage and when I crack them open, I'm more surprised than ever to see who my savior is. Immediately tears fill my eyes again and I don't even recognize the screams that are coming out of my own mouth. Shaking like a leaf, I curl even further into myself. It's only when I hear the crack of a fist against skin that I raise my bleary eyes just in time to see Tyler sprawled out on the pavement. When he starts to walk towards me, I skitter back against the wall of the building, terror causing chill bumps to erupt all over my skin.

"Elena, it's me, Damon," he whispers. Stooping down in front of me and ever so slowly, he extends his arm, offering me his hand. Still frightened, I stare at it for several seconds before raising my eyes to his face when I hear him say my name again. Just as I start to reach for it, I hear more commotion. Damon stands up and turns around. I can see him relax when we recognize the voice as Ric's.

"What's going on out here?" he asks, hurrying over to where I'm still huddled against the wall. My shirt is ripped open, my plunge bra and one breast visible for all to see.

"Elena, what happened?"

"That bastard was going to rape her," Damon seethes. Seeing the state I'm in, he takes off his leather jacket, draping it over my shoulders.

"Thank you," I whisper, curling as tightly as I can into myself.

"Elena, is that what happened? Did he try to force himself on you?" Ric asks, his voice gentle due to the state I'm in. He offers me his hand. After looking at it for several seconds, I take ahold albeit with shaky hands. As soon as I'm on my feet, my knees weaken and I almost go down again but Damon catches me like he always has before.

"You're going to have to fill out a police report, Elena, you have to press charges. You can't let him get away with this." Ric tells me, his voice firm and unyielding.

"I wo...," And just like that, the vortex darkens and sucks me right into a cold, black void.

* * *

"Miss Gilbert, I'm Dr. Tammykay Tierney," I hear someone say. When I start to open my eyes, I squeeze them shut just as quickly because the bright light practically blinds me.

"Where am I?"

"You're in the hospital. Your friends brought you here when you fainted."

"Um.. Is my friend still here?"

"The man that brought you in?"

When I nod, she adds, "Yes, there's a whole group of people waiting to hear a word about you."

"Why am I here?"

"You were assaulted. We did take pictures of your injuries for legal purposes in case you're going to press charges against your assailant."

"Can I have something to drink?" I try opening my eyes again now that I'm a little more awake. I grimace when I sit up because I hurt all over. When she hands me a glass of ice water, I put the straw in my mouth only to pull away because my lip hurts. Reaching up, I gingerly touch my fingertips to my lips, grimacing in pain when I feel how swollen and painful it is.

"Do I look as bad as this feels?"

"You look a little worse for wear, I'm afraid."

"I have to use the bathroom," I utter softly.

"There's one just outside and to the right. Come back when you're done. Now that you're awake, I need to examine you a little more closely."

Nodding, I get up, still feeling lightheaded, I grab onto the sink and then the door handle, holding onto the hall railing for the short distance to the bathroom. My mouth drops agape, my eyes filling with tears when I have a look at myself in the mirror. In addition to the spare tire I have for a lip, my jaw is purple. My back feels like I was dragged across sharp gravel. Turning around, I see the abrasions from the concrete of the wall that he shoved me against. Never would I have believed that Tyler could be so violent. I have to hang onto the sink to keep from falling when I realize how close I came to marrying that man. After taking several deep breaths, I slowly walk back to my exam room where the doctor is waiting for me.

"Can my friend come in?"

"Which one would you like me to send for?"

"My friend, Damon, please?" She shakes her head up and down then walks out for a moment. I hear her tell the nurse to ask for someone named Damon. As soon as she steps back into my exam room, she puts the stethoscope to my back, listening to my lungs. Even though she's touching my back gently with gloved hands, I still grimace, tears falling anew because it hurts. Just before I break down completely, Damon steps in the room, immediately pulling me into his arms. Although I hate the pitiful look on his face, I fall into his arms nonetheless, burying my face in his chest just to breathe him in.

"It's okay," he whispers, gently stroking my hair at the back of my head.

"When can I take her home?" he asks the doctor.

"She's going to be in a lot of pain for a few days. I want you to take some Ibuprofen when you get home and be careful with your back. I'm also going to write a script for a short course of muscle relaxants. And I will also write one for some Percocet so you'll have that if you need more than the Ibuprofen. It's a prescription only narcotic pain medication. Given that you hit your head on the pavement, I think you should have someone stay the night with you. Also, narcotics can mask the symptoms of a head injury so I'd caution you about taking one of those tonight."

"If she wants, I'll stay the night with her," Damon says, looking at the doctor and then at me. Stunned at his offer, I look at him perplexed because things haven't exactly been copasetic between the two of us. As soon as I tell him yes, the doctor continues.

"Also if you develop a fever or any drainage from those wounds in your back, you'll need to have those looked at. I bob my head up and down, not saying anything. The doctor leaves, telling us the nurse will be in shortly with my discharge instructions. When she finishes, Damon helps me to stand up, again slipping his jacket over my shoulders just before the two of us walk out of the ED and to his waiting car. After buckling me into the passenger seat, he tells me he's going to run back into the waiting room to tell everyone that he's taking me home. Closing my eyes, I lean my head back and close my eyes, falling asleep almost immediately only to be awakened when I hear the car door slam. My heart starts hammering against my chest because I'm scared to open my eyes but finally I summon the courage to do so, visibly relaxing when I see that it's Damon.

"Calm down, it's just me."

"I'm sorry, I not a squeamish person," I whisper, my voice barely audible.

"Hey, it's okay, Elena. I understand. I'm going to take you home now."

"Please do." I turn my head to look out of the passenger window, watching the scenery go by till he pulls into the parking lot for my apartment complex. After parking the car, he gets out, walking around to my side of the car to help me out. With every muscle in my body screaming in pain, my steps are slow, scrunching up my face with each forward step. I hand him my keys when we finally reach my door. Once unlocked, he steps aside so I can walk in first before following me and pushing the door shut and locking it.

"I want to get cleaned up. Just make yourself at home."

"Where do you keep your Ibuprofen? I'm going to run to that all night pharmacy down the street so I can fill these for you. I'll take your key so you don't have to get up to let me back in."

"I want you to stay."

"I won't be long, Elena. No one will hurt you again."

After sharing a look with him, I walk to my bedroom, collapse onto the bed and bury my face in the pillows as tears fall unbidden. I hate being so scared of my own shadow. I hate Tyler even more for disrupting my sense of safety more so than the physical injuries. Will I ever feel safe again? Finally I get up and walk slowly into the bathroom. Feeling my skin prickle when I think about Tyler, I want to scrub myself clean so I turn on the bathtub spigot. Soon the mirror fogs up because of the heat of the water. Under the sink I have some Epsom salts so I dump a handful of that in the water too before stripping out of my clothes. Although the water is very hot, I still sink in, enjoying the feel of it against my abused skin. As soon as I turn off the water, I lay my head against the rear of the tub and close my eyes, letting the ripple of the water lull me to sleep. When I hear knocking on the bathroom door, I fly upright in the tub, immediately regretting it because it hurts.

"Elena?"

"I fell asleep in the tub." Try as I might, I can't get out because everything hurts. Tears erupt again because I'm literally mortified to have to ask him for help.

"I can't get out," I burble through my tears.

"Elena, I can't." I hear what sounds like him slap his palm against the bathroom door.

"Please, Damon?" I can almost see him roll his eyes as I stare at the door through my blurry, tear-filled eyes. My stare broken when I hear the creak of the door as he starts to push it open. I cover myself with my arms as best I can. He closes his eyes then offers me his hands. Sucking in a deep breath, I have to move my strategically placed arms to be able to take ahold of his hands. Sucking the non swollen side of my lip between my bottom teeth, I give him my hands and let him pull me to a standing position. He holds on tightly while I step out of the tub. As ' _luck'_ would have it, I catch one foot on the edge, sending us both sprawling to the floor, me landing on top of him. I have to hold in a moan when my center lands against his package. He groans too himself, more so in pain than anything else I think. But Damon being Damon is a gentleman about it and keeps his eyes closed.

With a grimace, I stand up and grab the a towel to wrap around me. Once I'm covered, I tell him that he can open his eyes. He keeps his eyes on my face as he gets to his feet. As soon as he has his balance, he walks out of the bathroom, allowing me to put my pajamas on in private. Pressing my hands against the sink, I lean in and stare at someone unrecognizable in the mirror. My hands gripping the sinks edge so hard, my nailbeds and knuckles are white. Feeling my knees weakening again, I stumble out of the bathroom and onto my bed. Thankfully he already had the covers pulled down for me. At almost the same time as I pull up the covers, he walks back in with a pill and a bottle of water. He watches as I swallow what he tells me is Flexeril, the muscle relaxant that the doctor mentioned.

"Do you want me to call your parents?"

"Not tonight. I don't want to worry them."

"Go to sleep, Elena. I'll camp out in the spare room," he tells me, taking the water glass from my hand and setting it on my bedside stand.

"Goodnight."

"Please don't leave me," I ask, barely recognizing the needy voice as my own.

"Elena?"

"Please, just stay with me tonight." I can see the exact moment that he relents. He drops onto the bedside to kick off his shoes and pull his tee shirt over his head. And mom was right, he's definitely more buff than I remember from the short time he stayed with me. Shuddering visibly, he asks what's wrong. I can't let him know the effect he's having on me so I just tell him, it's because I'm exhausted. As soon as he crawls in the other side of the bed, I roll on my side and take his hand in mine. Immediately my body relaxes enough to let sleep overwhelm me.

* * *

I feel like I've been run through a wood chipper when I wake up the next morning. Every muscle in my body aches. Grimacing, I roll over, immediately deflating when I see the other side of the bed empty. The sheets feel cold so he's been gone for awhile. Although I hurt, I force myself to sit up and get out of bed and go into the bathroom. As soon as I finish, I slip on my bathrobe and walk out of my bedroom and into the kitchen since I smell coffee. Although I'm happy not to be alone, I'm saddened that he's not here anymore.

"Mom?" She turns around immediately, pulling me gently into her arms. I close my eyes and bury my face in her chest for a few moments before pulling away.

"What are you doing here?"

"Damon called. He told us about last night. I'm so grateful he was there to help you."

"Me too. Was he here when you arrived?"

"Yes, we had a cup of coffee. He left after his boss called him."

"I don't know what would've happened had he not been there. I was hoping to talk to him this morning. Did he say anything?"

"No baby girl. He just said he stayed because you didn't want to be left alone." Dropping my eyes, I can feel the tears beginning to prick in the corners. Although I don't want to cry, I can't help it. Overcome, my body shakes as the enormity of what almost happened last night plows into my like a ton of bricks. Quickly mom closes the distance between us, wrapping me in her arms once more, gently stroking me until I regain my composure.

"I'm sorry," I utter, hating that I feel so weak and helpless.

"Elena, you haven't done anything wrong. Of course, your nerves are on edge after what happened. Maybe now isn't the time to talk about it but you have to press charges against Tyler. My God, Elena, just thinking about what he almost did to you fills me with rage. I've never felt such anger before."

"I know mama, but I'm afraid. His family has a lot of sway in this town. I could lose my job and everything I worked so hard for if I do this."

"You aren't seriously considering letting him off the hook?"

"I don't want to. I want him to pay for what he did but I'm afraid of the repercussions."

"You are my daughter and a Gilbert. You're stronger than you know. If the Lockwood's try to mess with you, we'll rein hell down on them. Do you understand me?" As distraught as I am, I can't help the smile that forms on my face at her proclamation.

"Okay, mama. I'll do it."

"That's my girl. Now would you like something to eat? And Damon told me that you're supposed to take your muscle relaxant?"

"The doctor ordered enough of them for three days. Are you going to stay here if I sleep the day away? I was out like a light after taking it last night." As if knowing she needs to reassure me, she takes my hands in hers, giving them a squeeze.

"I'm not going anywhere. Now take your pill while I make us some breakfast."

"Thank mom. I love you." Our eyes meet for several moments before she gives me another hug and whispers in my ear.

"I love you too, Elena."

* * *

By the time I wake up it's late afternoon. Having slept the day away, I drag myself out of bed so hopefully I can sleep later. I guess I shouldn't worry about it. If I take another one of those pills, I'll have no trouble falling asleep. When I smell the delicious flavor of chicken, I throw my robe on again and walk out of my bedroom. Mom is sitting in the living room watching some old movie on TV.

"What are you watching and what smells so good?"

"I'm watching ' _Shadow of a Doubt_ '. It's a Hitchcock movie and one of my favorites. As far as the delicious aroma, I have a chicken with vegetables cooking in the crockpot. I invited Damon over but he didn't know if he'd make it or not."

"I hope so. I need to thank him for being my knight in shining armor," I utter, dropping down beside her on the couch. We don't wait long till we hear a knock on the door. An inexplicable gasp leaving my lips when I see that it's him. Damn tears, I utter to myself when I feel them prick at the corners of my eyes. When our eyes meet, I'm completely mesmerized till I feel mom stand up, vacating the seat beside me. I watch every step he makes as he comes to join me on the couch although he sits on the opposite end.

"I need to thank you, Damon, for helping me last night."

"Elena, it's fine. I just happened to be there."

"I know but..., Damon, I...,"

"Please, just stop. It's over and done with as long as you promise me that you'll press charges."

"Yeah, I need to talk to Ric about that..."

"He's a homicide detective, Elena. He did arrest Tyler, keeping him subdued till a squad car arrived to take him to jail. I don't know if he's out on bail or not but given who he is, he probably did make bail."

"You know him?"

"Who doesn't know the Lockwood's? They lord over this town as if they're royalty."

"If you two are ready, supper is done," mom announces from the kitchen. Still feeling weak and tired, I stumble a bit when I stand up. When Damon catches me, our eyes meet, the moment broken when mom yells that the food is getting cold. I feel tingles everywhere that his fingers are touching my bare skin. He tentatively lets go but stays close in case I start to wobble again. Fortunately, I don't embarrass myself, maintaining my balance as the two of us take a seat at the kitchen table. The table is filled with silence and inane conversation, neither of us wanting to say anything that might upset the other. Given the looks I see my mom giving both of us, I know that she's aware of the uneasiness between us. Suddenly she gets up to put her plate in the sink before turning around to face us.

"You two need to talk. I'm going to run to the grocery store down the street to get us some dessert. I expect this blaring silence to be resolved by the time I get back. Understand?"

Not saying anything, I drop my eyes and nod my head up and down. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Damon nod briefly before standing up himself. After taking a deep breath, I stand up and put my plate in the sink. Without giving Damon a glance, I walk out of the kitchen and into the living room to take my place back on the couch. Mom gives me a disapproving look before taking her purse and walking out, the slamming of the front door shaking me from my stupor.

"Elena, I'm going to go. I don't want to upset you after what happened. And I do care, I really do but I've had to grow up and change and adapt. We're not twelve and thirteen year old kids anymore. You have to face that fact."

With my mouth agape, he walks over to press a kiss to the top of my head. We stare at each other for a few seconds before he grabs his jacket, escaping before I can even get a word out. Unable to take my gaze off of the door that he just exited, an enlightening revelation hits me right between the eyes. An inappropriate giggle leaves my lips and in that moment I realize that I'm in love with Damon Salvatore.

* * *

 _Thank you so much, Eva. You truly make the world a better place._

 _And where to begin to thank you all for the so many reviews for chapter 17. Thank you so very much. They're the reason that Eva and I continue to crank out DE stories. If this chapter has as positive a response too, I'll post chapter 19 later this week._

 _Chapter Title: 'Hold My Hand' by Hootie and the Blowfish_

 _'Nothing Left to Fear' updated last Monday. My plan is to update this in the morning if I'm not too tired when I get home from work._

 _'Dig' did update on Thursday. I would love to hear your thoughts on those too._

 _Please remember to click that REVIEW button._

 _Be safe and have a lovely evening, sweet dreams for my friends across the pond and I hope you all have a wonderful Monday and week ahead. Thank you all again. I have to leave to go to work now. Goodbye, Carol_


	19. I Can't Hold Back

_**Thank you all again for the phenomenal response to chapter 18 too. I'm so grateful and giddy and blown away. Here's your second chapter this week as my way of thanking you all. I hope you all like it.**_

* * *

My mom has stayed with me for a couple of days and as much as I appreciate her love and concern, I need to be by myself so I can process everything I'm feeling for Damon. But unfortunately my parents had other ideas. As soon as she went home, dad showed up a few hours later, pretty much demanding to go to the police station with me to file a police report on Tyler. Ric called to say that he was indeed out on bail. I need to take some steps to protect myself but if I know Richard, he'll make sure Tyler stays away. He won't want any hint of scandal to tarnish his administration. Given that and the fact that he's up for re-election next year, I'm not too worried that he'll try to attack me again. But on the other hand, Tyler is hot headed and impulsive. I'm going to look into taking some self defense classes.

"Are you ready to go, Elena?" dad asks, waiting for me at my front door.

"Yes, daddy. I am a grown woman. You don't have to hold my hand."

"I know full well that you're a grown woman but maybe I want to hold your hand. You, young lady, will always be my little girl. A father is supposed to support their children through tough times."

"Thank you, daddy. I love you and mom so much," I tell him, wrapping my arms around his middle. When I feel him wrap his own arms around me, I sag visibly because I feel incredibly safe in his arms. Suddenly Damon comes to mind. I would love to know what it feels like to be wrapped in his sinuous, beefy arms. I don't even begin to know how to explain to my parents that I am in love with the boy who was such a big part of our family. For all intents and purposes, he was a brother figure when we were children. As long as my feelings aren't reciprocated, they'll really never have to know.

As much as I love being in dad's arms, I pull away so I can grab my purse so the two of us can go down to the police station. Having heard from Ric what happened to me, Elijah called, offering his full support as well as telling me in no uncertain terms that I'm to take a few days off from work to recuperate After giving dad a terse smile, he extends his arm, gesturing for me to lead the way. The two of us walk outside to his car. He pushes my door shut and then goes around to the driver's side. Soon we're driving down the road to the police station. Taking my phone out of my purse, I text Ric that the two of us are on our way. He promised me he'd be there as a witness and there is the fact that he was the arresting officer plus he can attest to my veracity.

"There you are," Ric mentions, walking up to the two of us when we arrive at the police station.

"Hi Ric. I don't know if you remember my dad, Gray Gilbert?"

N"Yes, I remember. How are you Mr. Gilbert?" he asks, offering dad his hand.

"I'm good Detective Saltzman. Thank you for being here for Elena today."

"Please call me Ric. Elena is my very good friend to both me and my wife."

"I appreciate it that she has someone like you to look after her."

"No worries. I'm happy to call her my friend." After he finishes chatting with dad, he turns to face me.

"And how are you?"

"I just want to get this over with. Can we go?"

"After you," Ric says, waving his hand. As soon as we go inside, we're directed to the officer in charge of this case. As soon as introductions are made, we sit down. Once I give permission for him to record my version of that night's events, I proceed to tell him the whole sordid story. I hate it when I feel tears pricking at my eyes when I reveal how close Tyler came to raping me. If not for my savior, Damon, I might be a victim of much more heinous crime right now. Swallowing thickly, I turn my attention back to the officer, answering all of his questions to the best of my ability.

I breathe a huge sigh of relief when we finally finish up. Ric escorts dad and I back to his car. Just as I'm about ready to pull the door open and slide in, who should walk up to us but Mayor Lockwood. I am so not ready for this confrontation so I drop my chin to my chest and roll my eyes, looking up only when I hear him say my name.

"What do you want, Richard? I'm not going to drop the charges against Tyler so don't waste your breath if that's what you want to talk about."

"No, Elena. I want to tell you that I'm truly sorry for what he did. He checked into a rehab facility in Florida. I want you to know that you're safe from him now."

"I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything. I'm sorry, really," he says, offering me his hand. I stare at it for a few seconds before giving him mine. He gives me a nod and my hand a squeeze before saying good day and excusing himself.

"Wow, that was surreal," I blurt out, still in shock. That was not the Richard I know.

"Don't read to much into it, Elena. He doesn't want any bad press. Having a would-be rapist for a son isn't exactly a glowing endorsement."

"You're right, Ric. But still..."

"Elena, are you ready?" dad interrupts, just as he drops into the driver's seat.

"I'm ready. Goodbye, Ric," I utter, giving him a hug.

"Tell Jenna that I'll call her soon."

"Will do, it was nice meeting you again, Mr. Gilbert."

"You too, Ric. I'm sorry for being blunt."

"No worries. Take your girl home and have her get some rest. She still looks pretty banged up," Ric adds, his eyes on mine. Shaking my head, I get in the car and buckle my seatbelt just as dad pulls out of the parking lot and onto the street to drive us home.

* * *

"Mrs. Fell, what did you want to see me about?" I ask, taking a seat opposite her in the interrogation room. For whatever reason, she requested to see me. Although I would refuse any request to be her attorney, I'm just too intringued to turn down the request to meet with me.

"Miss Gilbert, I'm sure you're wondering why I asked to see you?"

"Very much so."

"I want to know how my children are?"

"And how would I know that?"

"Do you take me for a fool? I know who you are. You're Gray Gilbert's daughter."

"The last time I saw you, you didn't recognize me or maybe you just pretended not to know me?"

"I didn't know who you were then. I hadn't seen you since I dropped Damon off at your folk's house when he was five years old. I don't remember seeing you the day Logan and I took him out of your home."

"Why did you take him away from us? He was happy and well adjusted. You changed that loving young man into someone that I barely recognize. I'm having a hard time reconciling the Damon I knew then to the Damon I know now."

"If I had it to do it all over again, I would've left him. Back then I was too involved with drugs and alcohol and Logan. I did whatever he wanted me to do. When we married, he convinced me that we could give Damon a good home. But what he really wanted was to have Damon as his plaything. By the time I realized how depraved he was, I was already deep into the drugs. I valued them more than I valued my children and that's why I find myself here, probably for the rest of my life. Tell me, how is Stefanie?"

"She's blossoming, Mrs. Fell. Her nightmares are few and far between now. She's happy. Please don't take that away from her like you did Damon. Please?"

"I have no way of doing that, Miss Gilbert. Surely you realize that?"

"I do." I add, nodding.

"I asked you here because I know you are friends with Damon again. I don't expect him ever to forgive me. I've wronged him grievously. But I want you to tell him that I'm sorry. If I hadn't gotten involved with Logan, maybe things would be different now, I don't know. Whether you believe it or not, I loved my children once, I still do but I wasn't cut out to be a mom, I guess. I put my own needs ahead of theirs but they're the ones who've had to pay the price for my stupidity. I just want you to tell them I'm sorry and that I wish them the best in life from now on. I'm going to plead guilty so neither of them has to testify against me. I don't want to put either of them in that position. Just tell them that, please?"

"I will, Mrs. Fell." After giving her a nod, I get out of my chair and leave the room, turning around just in time to see the guard lead her back to the jail. This is certainly not the Eleanor Fell I was prepared to meet when I arrived this morning. Shaking my head, I put one foot in front of the next and walk away without looking back.

* * *

Just as I reach my car, I hear someone say my name so I turn around, relaxing visibly when I see that it's Matt with Nick walking beside him.

"Hey guys. What's shaking?"

"We had a meeting with one of my kids. He's in trouble and Nick and I are trying to help him."

"With you two on his team, how could he lose?" I ask, smiling at both of them.

"How is Damon doing with the job, Nick?"

"He's been a godsend. Damon has proved to be a valuable asset to my firm."

"I'm glad that he has something to keep him busy and out of trouble himself."

"Elena, how are you? I heard about Tyler Lockwood," Matt asks, tilting his head slightly.

"I've been better but I'm trying to take it one day at a time. I just went back to work a couple of days ago."

"If you need anything, Elena..., you know that you can call either of us."

"I know and I appreciate it. I'm just glad Damon was there that night. He pulled Tyler off of me and then Ric kept him pinned till a squad car took him to jail."

"Damon has had his own demons but he's a good man."

"I realize that, Nick. I just wish things weren't so tense between us. He's my friend and I miss that."

"Have you talked to him recently?"

"Not since the morning after. I thought maybe he needed some space."

"He's out of town on a job for me but I'll plant a bug in his ear to give you a buzz when he gets back."

"Thanks Nick, I appreciate it."

"Do you have a new client?" Matt asks, changing the subject.

"I actually was summoned here by Eleanor Fell."

"Really?" Nick asks, his eyes widening at me.

"I was a bit stunned myself but she seemed sincere. She said to tell Damon and Stefanie that she's sorry and that she was going to plead guilty so they wouldn't have to testify at her trial."

"Now that is a shock," Nick adds, shaking his head back and forth.

"I know right," I add, a sudden shiver running up my spine. When I notice Nick glancing at his watch, I know that he has to go. After saying goodbye to both Matt and Nick, I get in my car, drop my face into my hands and shed a couple of tears because I do miss Damon. I miss him a lot. Once I regain my composure, I turn on the ignition and drive back to work, my heart full of melancholy.

* * *

" _Damon, do you want to go to the carnival with me?"_

 _"You want to go with me?"_

 _"Yes, why do you ask that?"_

 _"I didn't think you'd want to be seen with your little friend slash brother."_

 _"Why would you think that? I've never made a big deal about you being younger than me."_

 _"I guess you're right. I'll go with you. I'm going to run upstairs and get some money, wait for me?"_

 _"Of course." I wait patiently for him and soon enough, he flies down the front stairs, his wallet in his hand. After saying goodbye to mom and dad and with the promise to be home at a certain time, we walk off down the sidewalk. The carnival is on Main street. Mom gave me money to buy us each a pass so we can ride on whatever rides we want. Even though there are plenty of kid's rides, we go on the Merry-go-round and the Ferris Wheel. Laughing and having a good time, we go on the Tilt a whirl and the roller coaster. I'm just having so much fun. Although I'm dizzy when I get off of the Scrambler, I take Damon's hand and the two of us order a funnel cake with cherry pie filling and whip cream. We devour it in just a couple of bites. It's so yummy. Afterwards, we continue to walk the midway. Somehow we get separated when he leaves me to find a bathroom._

 _While in the process of looking for him, suddenly I'm pushed into the alley by a couple of boys that are older than me. They pick at my shirt and pull my hair. When David tries to pull at my blouse buttons, I scream. Next thing I know, David is sprawled out on the gravel, Damon's fist reared back ready to strike him a second time. As soon as the others see how strong Damon is, they run off like scared rabbits. Not wanting Damon to get in any trouble, I pull him off David who quickly gets up and scrambles down the alley, scardey-cat that he is._

 _"And don't ever touch her again or next time, I'll punch you in the face," Damon yells, quickly turning around to face me as soon as David disappears out of the alley._

 _"Are you okay?"_

 _Not knowing what else to do, I throw my arms around him whispering thank you for saving me over and over and over._

Suddenly, I lurch upright in bed, dropping my face into my hands at that memory. Damon is always, always saving me. I miss him so much and I know that I have to talk to him. If he spurns me again, at least I'll know if wasn't for my lack of trying. When I glance at the clock, it's only three in the morning but now I'm wide awake. I get up to use the bathroom and take a couple of Advil in hopes of going back to sleep. A smile plays on my face when I imagine what it would be like to have Damon laying beside me. With that happy feeling, I close my eyes, letting sleep come quickly.

* * *

"Elena, are you coming?" Katherine whines into the receiver.

"Yes, Katherine. I'm on my way now. Do you really think I'd miss your first school concert?"

"Stefanie's class is going to be singing too."

"I know that. I'm excited to see both of you sing."

"Well, hurry up and get here."

"I'm hanging up now, Katherine. I'll get there quicker if I'm not having to pull over to the side of the road to talk on the phone with you."

"No fair," she fusses and I can almost see her lower lips sticking out.

"Oh it's fair. Bye Katherine."

"Bye." I chuckle a little bit when the phone clicks off. Once I see that I can safely get back on the highway, I pull into traffic. Unfortunately there's a car accident which slows traffic considerably. Katherine will be livid but this is beyond my control. I turn off the car and we sit for about a half an hour before the cops slowly get traffic moving again. By the time I arrive in Murrells Inlet, it's nearly time for the concert to start so I drive straight to the school. After parking my car, I run inside the gymnasium which is where they always have concerts and such things. I look all over, finally seeing Jeremy and my parents but there are no empty seats near them which surprises me because I would've thought they'd save one for me. When I look around a little more, I'm a little taken aback to see Damon sitting in the audience. As luck would have it, there's an empty seat beside him so I quietly walk over and sit down. We make eye contact for a moment before he turns his attention back to the kids singing on stage.

When our arms touch, I gasp, feeling the prickles as chill bumps erupt on my body. He gives me a curious look and all I can do is stare at him, my mouth slightly agape. I watch as he furrows his brows, obviously curious as to why I'm behaving as I am. Just as I'm about to say something, the announcer says Katherine's class is going to be singing next. Shaking off my stupor, I get out my phone and step out into the aisle so I can film her part of the program. She smiles widely, cautiously waving her hand at me. Momentarily distracted from Damon, I wave back as I continue to film her. Once her class is done, I go back to sit down beside Damon. For whatever reason, he seems more relaxed this time. We sit and watch till finally Stefanie's eighth grade class takes the stage. Both of us fly out of our seats to film her. I smile when my parents notice me. As soon as I see Stefanie, I start filming. And as with Katherine, when she sees both me and Damon, a big ear to ear smile erupts on her face. It's really heartwarming to see her so happy considering how broken she was when she went to live with mom and dad. I hope Damon can appreciate that too.

As soon as the program is over, we all go back to our house where mom has cookies and ice cream waiting for us. Damon and I barely say two words to each other. Feeling that I'm about to burst because of his standoffishness, I know that I have to do something. Once I finish my ice cream, I take the girls upstairs to tell them goodnight. Tomorrow is a school day and I have to work as well. Damon follows behind, walking Stefanie to her room while I veer to the other side of the hall to tuck Katherine into bed. As luck would have it, we finish at the same time and switch places so I can say goodnight to Stefanie and he can say goodbye to Katherine. This time, I exit first, going back downstairs to tell my parents goodnight. I'm just about to step outside when Damon starts to trot down the stairs. Taking a deep breath, I give dad and mom each a hug and a kiss.

"I'll walk her out," Damon says out of the blue.

"Goodnight. Thank you for making this a special night for Stef. You can't know how grateful I am for everything you've done for her."

"Damon, we love her. We've talked about it and if you still want us to start adoption proceedings, we'll go ahead with it."

"Yes, yes, I want that. She's so happy here and I know you'd never keep her from me. It's really the best solution for everyone involved. Thank you," he tells them, giving mom a kiss on the cheek and dad a hug. I can't stop the smile that forms on my face nor the tears that prick at my eyes. Not wanting them to see me, I step outside, pushing the front door closed with my body. I stand there for a few moments before walking over to my car. I look up when I hear the door shut, swallowing thickly as Damon closes the distance between us.

"I want to make sure you get back safely. I'll follow you home."

"Damon, I hate this distance between us."

"I do too," he utters, running his fingers through his messy locks. When our eyes meet again, it's like we're in a world where only he and I exist. Suddenly as if my body has a mind of it's own, I fist my hands in his lapels and pull his lips to mine.

* * *

 _Here's the second chapter this week. I hope you like it. I can't even begin to tell you how much your embrace of the last couple of chapters and the story as a whole mean to me. I've never hit the 400 review plateau before and thanks to all of you, this story will be the first. Please keep the reviews coming. There is a completely Damon chapter coming soon too._

 _Thank you, Eva so much for everything. Love you lots._

 _Chapter title: 'I Can't Hold Back' by Survivor._

 _I did update 'Nothing Left to Fear' earlier this week and 'Dig' updated yesterday._

 _Again, I ask you to please review. They mean the world to me and are the main reason I keep writing DE stories. I miss them so much. Two stories are in the works along with the idea for a short follow up to my Halo series._

 _I hope you all have a safe and wonderful weekend. We'll see you again next week. If you keep showing me the love, maybe you'll get extra next week too. One of which will be the Damon chapter. Thank you all again. Carol_


	20. Stop Draggin My Heart Around

Just as suddenly, he cups my cheeks with his hands to tilt my head allowing him to deepen the kiss. Deciding to go with it, I run my tongue along the seam of his lips, quickly thrusting my tongue inside of his mouth when he surrenders. Tingles are erupting along every nerve pathway in my body. I've never felt such a sense of completeness when kissing Tyler or any other guy for that matter. Damon, it just feels extraordinary to kiss him. My senses are so alight that I feel every scrape of his stubble against my skin. It's really a magnificent feeling. When the need for air trumps everything else, I break the kiss. Touching my lips with the tips of my fingers, I'm simply in awe that I can still feel every tingle, it's incredible. Although I feel like I'm in kissed induced stupor, I somehow notice that he's staring at my heaving bosom.

"Elena.. I...," he starts to say. After looking deeply into my eyes for another long second, he smacks his lips to mine once more. This time it's him who shoves his tongue inside, tangling it with mine. We're both overcome with emotion when we pull apart the second time. Out of the corner of my eye, I see my dad peaking out of the curtain. Knowing we need to tame this down, I drop my eyes and take a deep breath.

"I'm not sorry I kissed you but we have so much unsettled between us, Damon."

"I know that," he agrees, stepping back and turning away from me. After several seconds pass, he turns to face me again.

"I'll follow you home. Once you're safely inside of your apartment building, I'm going to go home."

"Damon?"

"Not tonight, Elena. I can't, not tonight." Nodding, I drop one more quick kiss to his mouth before getting in my car. I wait till he's inside his own before I start the engine and pull away from the curb and onto the street, Damon following behind. As soon as I pull into a parking spot and turn off the ignition, I look up to see him pull alongside me. We both get out of our cars at the same time. Stepping in beside me, he walks with me to the door.

"Thank you, Damon." Nervously I suck my lower lip between my teeth as I stare into his mesmerizing blue eyes.

"I'm going to go home now. We'll talk soon. Goodnight, Elena," he says, leaning forward to press a kiss to the top of my head. After stepping inside the door, I turn around and watch till he pulls out of the parking lot and drives away, taking my heart with him. I hope I didn't make a mess of things. Expelling a breath of air, I walk into the stairwell, taking one step after the next till I get to my floor. As soon as I step out of the egress, I'm stunned to see someone I recognize as one of Tyler's friends standing at my door. What's he doing here? Feeling terror surge through me, I step back into the stairwell and run down the stairs, hiding beneath the bottom staircase. Quickly I get my phone out to call Damon. I panic a little more when he doesn't answer. I start to text him when I hear footsteps getting ever closer. My heart is beating wildly against my chest as I watch to see who it is. I visibly relax when I see that it's a woman. I'm glad she doesn't see me because I probably look beyond foolish.

When I feel my phone vibrate, I breath a sigh of relief when I see that it's Damon telling me he's just outside of the entrance and that I need to let him in. Despite hearing footsteps on the stairs again, I make a dash for the entrance, reaching Damon just as Kol reaches me. Letting fear consume me completely, I collapse in Damon's arms, my body literally quaking as he wraps me in his arms.

"Elena?"

"What are you doing here and how did you get through security, Kol?" I ask, not lifting my head from Damon's chest.

"Tyler asked me to talk to you. He wants you to drop the charges against him. And as far as me getting in here, I choose to keep that to myself."

Before I can even open my mouth, Damon snaps at him. "You can tell that bastard that she will do no such thing."

"Come on, Elena. If you press charges, it's going to stigmatize him."

"I don't care. He should've thought of that before he tried to rape me."

"He knows things are over between you two but he doesn't want his future destroyed because of one little bitty mistake," Kol adds, rolling his eyes. His nonchalance makes me want to burst a blood vessel.

"Get out!" Although I'm literally shaking with anger, I relax a little when I feel Damon holding me even closer.

"You heard the lady, now get out."

When I raise my eyes, I see the fire burning in Damon's. Feeling his hands beginning to fist, I warn Kol again to leave and to never come back. Since he got into my building, I may have to consider moving. I'm not going to take that leap just yet though. I breathe a big sigh of relief when he steps around us and leaves my building. Now that's he's no longer an immediate threat, I pull away from Damon, immediately missing the warmth that his arms and body provided for me.

"I hate to ask you but could you spend the night? I mean, I don't think he'll come back but I'd feel better with you there."

Nodding, he entwines his fingers with mine, leading me into the elevator. As the adrenaline starts to wane, I feel body starting to tremor ever so slightly. Looking down at our joined hands, I give his a squeeze as if I need to prove to myself that he's indeed here with me. I startle when the elevator stops and the door slides open.

"Are you okay, Elena?"

"With you here, yes...," my voice trailing as I get lost staring into his hypnotic blue eyes. I nearly melt when he offers me his hand again before we step out of the elevator. I'd follow this man to infinity and back again. I just wish I knew if he felt the same things that are bursting chaotically inside of me. When we reach my door, I reluctantly let go of his hand so I can dig the keys out of my bag. Sliding it in, I unlock the door and step inside, Damon follows behind and pushes the door closed. I blow out a breath of air when I hear him click the lock.

"Do you want something to drink because frankly, I could use one?"

"Sure."

I set my bags down and walk into the kitchen to grab a bottle of bourbon and two glasses out of the cupboard. Just as I'm about to turn around and walk back into the living room, I hear his footsteps behind me. Turning around to face him, I feel a shiver surge up my spine. I hand him the bottle while I hold up the two glasses. He fills them before turning slightly to set the bottle down. I suck in deep breath then swallow down in one slog, relishing the burn as it goes down my throat and into my stomach. Feeling a chill, I refill my glass and do it again.

"Slow down. You're okay now. I won't let anything happen to you, Elena." He takes the glass from my hand and sets it down on the countertop. After he chugs his, he screws the lid back on the bottle and puts it back in the cupboard. Grabbing a hold of the sink's edge, I clutch it so tightly that my knuckles are white.

"Come, let's get you to bed. It's late." He then takes my hand and leads me into my bedroom, releasing it only when I excuse myself to go into the bathroom. Feeling completely exhausted, I come out and crawl under the covers. After covering me up, he presses a kiss to the top of my head then turns out the light. I don't even hear the sound of my bedroom door closing when he steps outside.

* * *

When I wake up the next morning, I throw my forearm over my eyes, not wanting to get up quite yet. But when I smell fresh coffee and the scent of freshly made French toast, I throw my legs over the side and drag myself out of bed. After using the bathroom and slipping on my robe, I walk to the kitchen. Leaning against the doorframe, I can't help the smile that begins to form on my lips as I watch him slave away in front of the griddle.

"Good morning," he says without bothering to turn around.

"Morning. It smells yummy." Just as I reach him, he turns around, a cup of coffee in his hands.

"Thank you." I take a big pull of the coffee, savoring the intense flavor as it warms my insides.

"Have a seat. I'm almost done with breakfast." Nodding, I refill my cup and then take a seat. In moments, he slides a plate in front of me and one on the opposite side of the table. I watch as he turns around to cut the power to the griddle before sitting down. With syrup in hand, I pour a generous amount on top of my French toast before digging in. The taste is scrumptious, the best I've ever eaten.

"This is even better than my mom's. Where did you learn your way around a kitchen?"

"At Caroline's. I didn't just wait tables when I stayed there."

"However you did it, this is delicious." I add, sticking another bite of the delicious goodness in my mouth.

"Thanks. You liked this for breakfast when we were kids too, right?"

"Yes, I always liked French toast more than pancakes." We eat in silence for several minutes. Setting my fork down, I get up to refill our coffee cups before sitting back into my chair. Although I feel a bit anxious, I know that one of us needs to break the ice as it were.

"Um, Damon.. Can we talk?"

"I know that we need to, Elena. I can't stay this morning. I have to go out of town for Nick but when I get back, I promise you that I'll make time for you, okay?" Swallowing thickly, I drop my eyes when I feel tears beginning to prick at the corners. Not wanting him to see the effect he has on me, I just nod. We finish eating breakfast in silence. As soon as he's done eating, he stands up to put his dishes in the sink.

"I hate to leave you with a mess to clean up but I have to go. Keep your doors locked okay? I called both Ric and Matt. They said they would keep an eye on you."

"Thank you, Damon but I'll be fine. Tyler won't try anything again. If he does, his dad will have his ass. I intend to tell Richard about last night's visitor. And I want to thank you for staying with me."

"You're welcome." Our eyes meet for a long moment before, broken only when Damon's cellphone starts ringing.

"Damn it," he utters, pulling it out of his pocket to answer it.

"Yes, Nick. I'll be there shortly. There was a little ruckus with Elena last night so I stayed with her. Yeah, I'm on my way."

"He said to tell you that you're welcome to call him any time should anything arise while I'm gone."

"Tell him thank you." He blows out a puff of air, walks over, presses a kiss to the crown of my head before saying goodbye. I manage to hold my tears inside till I hear the front door close. Standing up, I put my own dirty dishes in the sink. After washing them and sticking them in the drying rack, I go to take a shower so I can go to work. As soon as I'm dressed, I grab my bag and leave my apartment, making sure my door is locked after pulling it shut. I take the elevator downstairs. I make a point of stopping to talk to the manager about how Kol got inside last night. He said that he would do what he had to do to make sure the residents of his apartment complex stay safe. I tell him thank you before walking outside, getting in my car and driving downtown to my office.

* * *

I'm busy at my desk looking over the file of my newest client. When I hear my name, I look up, smiling when I see Elijah standing in my doorway.

"As you know, I was out of the office last week when you came back to work. My wife Eva and I celebrated our twelfth wedding anniversary. How are you feeling?"

"I had a little run in last night with one of Tyler's cronies. I do intend to have a word with the mayor about it but aside from that, I'm fine."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"I don't expect anymore trouble from Tyler. Richard assured me he was in rehab but his buddy Kol did sneak into my apartment building last night. That's what I want to speak to Richard about."

"If you want me to go with you to talk to him, let me know. I need to ensure my employees safety and security."

"Thank you, Elijah. If I have anymore trouble, I'll let you know."

"Alright then, I'll let you get back to work." He gives me one last look before stepping out of my office. As soon as I watch the door close, I turn my attention back to my files. However when I keep rereading the same lines, I know I might as well put it aside for a little while. I know I need to work but I can't help it that Damon's face keeps appearing inside of my head. Maybe if I take a break and go get a coffee, I'll feel more apt to getting something done. Deciding that's what I'm going to do, I grab my bag and walk out, stopping to see if Bonnie can take a break too. Fortunately Bonnie is able to go with me for a coffee.

Rather than leave the building, we just go downstairs to the cafeteria, taking a table in the back corner. Sighing, I take a long drink, my mind elsewhere.

"What's bothering you, Elena?"

"Oh, maybe the fact that Tyler sent one of his goons to my apartment last night. Then there's ' _him_ '."

"Who's him?"

"You know, my friend Damon, that I told you about."

"Oh... that friend."

"Yeah. I like him, Bonnie, a lot. But I don't know if he feels the same way. He's such a conundrum. One moment he's into kissing me, the next it's like he's standoffish. I don't know what to do."

"You kissed?"

"Yep."

"Was it good?"

"It was real good," I chuckle, shaking my head at her question."

"This is probably new for him too, Elena. Maybe he needs a little time to wrap his head around it. Did you kiss him or did he kiss you?"

"We both kissed each other, but I kissed him first. And I hope you're right that he just needs time to come to grips with it," I say, my voice winsome.

Our conversation then veers to other topics. Before I know it, our half hour is up so we both head back to our respective offices to finish work for the day.

* * *

The next day at work is so hectic, I barely have a free moment to even fill a cup of coffee. When I break for lunch, I go across to the little diner, smiling when I see Matt waving me over to his table. Wiping the sweat from my brow, I give him a nod and take the seat opposite him in the booth.

"Whew, it's been a crazy day already. But I digress, how are you and the family?"

"Hello, Elena. I and they are doing just fine. My son's football team is 2-0 so far this season."

"That's great. I remember you saying that he was going to play."

"I'm pretty proud of him and I know he's young yet but I would love to see him get to the NFL someday. Sofia and Tina have a dance recital coming up too so they're all very involved with extracurricular activities. Both of the girls are really excited about it."

"You're not the proud dad or anything?" I tease, smiling myself when I see a wide one forming on his lips. "And how is Patti?"

"Patti is doing great and yes, I am a very proud dad. But enough about me, how are you doing? Have you had anymore run ins with Lockwood's thugs?"

"How do you know about that?"

"I talked to Damon several days ago. He asked me to keep an eye on you."

"I remember now. He did mention that he was going to talk to you and Nick and Ric too about my little predicament. I'm not some damsel in distress, you all do realize that right? I can take care of myself."

"We know that, Elena."

"When did you see him, anyway?"

"We had breakfast together about a week ago. Why?"

"I was led to believe that he was going out of town on a big assignment for Nick?"

"He did mention your incident with Kol. That guy is another one who has had run ins with the law nearly his whole life, never anything serious enough to lock him up though. And as far as Damon going out of town, he didn't say anything to me about it but it's been over a week since I've seen him, Elena."

"Good to know."

Picking up my coffee, I take a sip. With my mind elsewhere, I barely react when I feel Matt's hand pressing atop mine. After staring at our hands for a few seconds, I finally raise my eyes to meet his.

"What's going on?"

"Honestly, I don't know. I have feelings for him, Matt. Feelings that are seemingly unreciprocated. I'll just have to get over it."

"Why do you think that he doesn't care?"

"Given the fact that he didn't go anywhere and if he did, he came back without so much as a text message. That alone sends a pretty clear message." He pulls back his hand, sighing himself.

"Elena, first off, you don't know that he didn't go anywhere. Second, he's not used to anyone caring about him. He's probably just trying to figure things out for himself. I could be wrong of course, but I see the look in his eyes when he mentions your name. Plus he asked me to keep an eye on you. He cares, Elena. "

"I don't know, Matt," I utter, turning my head from side to side. From that point, our conversation switches to more mundane topics. When I glance at my watch and notice the time, I tell him goodbye and then scurry out of the café. As soon as I pull out into traffic, I start to drive home. Curiously, I notice a red car seemingly following me so I make a few unnecessary turns, my suspicions verified when it makes every turn I make.

Needing to get a glimpse of who's driving, I pull into a drug store parking lot and step out of my car. I walk inside, buying a soda and a candy bar before going back out. Trying not to be obvious about it, I look around, surreptitiously focusing in on the red car. Kol! Of course it's Kol. Seething, lean in to put my soda in the can holder. After tossing my bag into the passenger seat, I slam my open palm on the counsel. With my fuse lit, I hop behind the steering wheel, immediately turning around to drive to city hall.

As soon as I get there, I march right on into Richard's office, demanding to see him. When his secretary hems and haws, I take a deep breath, push past her and barge into his office.

"What's this about?" he squawks, standing up.

"It's about your son and unless you want everyone else to hear, I would advise you to ask them to leave." He tightens his lips but does as I ask. Once the room is clear, I stalk up to him, place my palms flat on his desktop and lean in, getting right in his face.

"You better tell your son to back off or there will be hell to pay. Do you hear me now?"

"What are you talking about, woman? Tyler is in rehab in New York state?"

"You tell him to make his goons back off. One of them got into my apartment building a little more than a week ago. Today I caught him following me. You better make it stop Richard or I'll make sure his name is in every newspaper up and down the eastern seaboard. Are we clear?"

"Who was it?"

"It was Kol."

"I'll tell him to lay off."

"Well, you better." Standing up, I straighten out my pencil skirt then march out of his office.

* * *

Feeling like I need another line of protection, I decide that I should have a four legged bodyguard. Once I made up my mind and checked with my apartment supervisor about pets, I drove to one of our local animal shelters. After looking over the different dogs, I finally find the one that calls to me. Although I'd love to give everyone of them a forever home, I know that I can't. Once I tell the clerk which one I want, she leashes him and takes him out of the cage.

"You've picked a fine dog, Miss Gilbert."

"I think we're going to be fast buddies." I'm stooped down, nuzzling with my new roommate. He's a yellow lab that was found wondering the streets. He's as sweet as he can be.

"Does he have a name?"

"No, he had no collar, no chip, nothing. You're free to name him what you choose."

"I'll have to give it some thought. Thank you so much. When can I take him home.?"

"You can take him today if you want?"

"Really? I thought there might be a waiting period or something."

"No, we charge for having the animal neutered and for the microchip and a nominal adoption fee to help keep the place running."

"I can't wait to show him to my little sister. She'll go nuts."

"He's very good with kids. Other families have looked at him but you're the lucky one who gets to take him home."

"I'll need to stop somewhere to pick up a leash," I tell her.

"We don't carry animal supplies but we do sell leashes. You'll be able to purchase one when you pay the fee for him."

"Sure," I say, nodding my head but unable to look away from this beautiful animal. After giving me a nod, she stoops over to give my dog some love before I take him home. I'm so fortunate that my apartment allows pets. They do ask for an extra twenty five dollars a month in rent. I'm not really afraid of Kol or Tyler but it never hurts to have some insurance. I'm going to drive to Murrells Inlet as soon as I leave here to show him off. Maybe Stefanie or Katherine can help me come up with a name.

After saying goodbye to the clerk, I lead my new baby outside. He eagerly jumps into the backseat, sticking his head out when I open the window for him. It's open just far enough for him to stick his head out but not enough for him to be able to make a getaway. He's loving every minute of the drive, going back and forth between the two side windows. I need to run into the pet store that's in a small strip mall outside of town to get some food, toys, treats among other things. But when I happen a glance at my gas gauge, I stop to fill my gas tank as the needle is reading a quarter of a tank. After swiping my credit card, I put the gas nozzle into my fuel I hear my phone chiming, I reach into my pocket to pull it out. Seeing that it's Damon, I give it a click.

"Hello?"

"Elena, hi."

"Damon?"

"Yeah, it's me. I just wanted to check in with you. Um, how are you doing, you know since Lockwood?"

"I'm fine."

"I just talked to Stefanie. Um, I just realized that I don't think I ever thanked you for getting her away from Eleanor."

"There's no need to thank me, Damon."

"Yes, Elena, there is. I'm sorry it slipped my mind. And I wanted to tell you that I'm still out of town. I expect it to be another couple of weeks before I get back to Myrtle Beach. Nick said it would be okay if you called him if Lockwood gives you anymore trouble."

"I can take care of myself. You don't need to worry about me."

"Clearly you're in denial given what that bastard almost did to you."

"Damon, I don't want to get into it with you. If I need anything, I'll call Nick. Good luck on your assignment."

"Take care of yourself, Elena. I'll see you when I get back."

"Goodbye, Damon," I whisper, clicking off the phone. Is he out of town again or is he just saying that to avoid me?

As soon as I finish at the gas station, I quickly drive over to the the pet store. Fortunately they allow you to bring your pets inside as long as they're leashed. I do have the one I bought at the pound to keep him from trouncing down the aisles. I love looking at the fish, especially the salt water ones because they're so vividly colored. So I take time to do that before gathering what I need and getting into the checkout lane to pay for my purchases. After putting the dog back into the car, I open up the trunk and drop the bags in, slam the trunk closed and hop in to drive the rest of the way home. I notice that the girls are outside in the yard when I pull alongside the curb and park.

"You got a doggy?" Katherine squeals, running up to the car just as I'm stepping out. Opening the back door, I take his leash and let him jump out to greet the girls.

"I did. I thought maybe you and Stefanie could help me pick a name for him."

"What about Duke?" Stefanie suggests.

"Maybe? Any other ideas?"

"Is it a boy or a girl dog?" Katherine asks.

"It's a he?"

"Yes, he's a he," I laugh, ruffling her hair. I laugh even harder when she crosses her arms, showing me her mean face.

"Can I pet him?"

"Of course, Stefanie."

"Elena, who do you have here?" Mom asks, walking outside to meet me. After giving me a hug, she stoops down and gives my new man some attention too. Once the girls are done introducing themselves, I give Stefanie the leash so they can walk him around the block.

"Hurry back, we have to leave soon so we get to the movie on time," mom adds, looking pointedly at the both of them.

"We will," Katherine says excitedly. After taking the time to tell them to not let go and to be careful, they take off down the sidewalk. Mom and I keep an eye on them till they turn the corner. Turning to face me, mom asks, "What made you decide to get a dog?"

"I just thought I would feel safer if I had a dog. He's so cute isn't he?"

"If he gives you some peace of mind, then I'm glad you got him. And yes, he is a very handsome dog but have you thought about what you're going to do when you're at work for long hours?"

"I really didn't think that far ahead mom. He's not too big for a kennel yet so I'll have to invest in one of them or maybe there's such a thing as pet daycare?" I laugh.

"I'm sure you'll figure it out? Did you see Damon when you drove up?"

"Why would I see Damon?"

"He just left a few minutes ago."

Feeling my temper beginning to flare I turn away from mom. With my hands fisting at my sides, I take a deep breath to get my emotions under control before turning back to her with a smile on my face. "Really? I must've just missed him."

* * *

 _Here is a little peek at 'Turn the Page'. I have 5 or 6 chapters left to write give or take. Once I'm closer to completion, I will start to post it._

Overtaken by nostalgia, I set my things on my bed and then sit down myself. Reaching over I grab one of my high school yearbooks to thumb through. Looking at the date, it's my sophomore year in high school. How could I ever forget it and especially him? As handsome as he was, he sometimes had the personality of a snake oil salesman. I just get mad even thinking about that man. All the girls would fall all over themselves just to get him to look at them. Luckily, I only had to deal with him for two years in high school because he was a senior when I was a sophomore.

But Damon and I go way back. Even as children, we despised each other. After I moved in with my grandma, we became neighbors because the Salvatore family lived in the big boarding house just down the street. His half sister, Katherine is ten years older than he is so they didn't really hang out together very much.

I had glasses, crooked teeth and freckles back then. He teased me relentlessly.

 _"Hey metal mouth, what cha doing today?"_

 _"Don't call me that."_

 _"Why not four-eyes?"_

 _"Why are you so mean?"_

 _"Come on, Lena, you make it too easy."_

 _"I don't care. You don't have to be such a bully."_

 _"I'm not a bully, I'm just stating fact, little Elena," he smirks, then picks up his ball and runs off._

Even back then, he had that panty dropping smirk but I didn't dwell on it at that time. All I wanted to do was cold cock him into next week. And although I got rid of my glasses and contacts and the braces by the time I got to high school, I still wasn't glamorous like some of the girls. I never wore makeup despite Caroline's nagging. It wasn't until junior year that I really started to enjoy makeup and those kinds of girly things.

In all honesty, I think he loathed me as much as I loathed him. It didn't start out that way of course. He tried to worm his way into my good graces more than once. He thought of himself as God's gift to women the way he strutted around campus and the hallways. And of course it didn't hurt that he lettered in football, track and field and varsity basketball. During summer break, he was the star player on our local baseball team.

As much as I detest even the thought of him, it was so easy to fall prey to his piercing blue eyes. They're an unworldly blue hue, almost as if Tinker Belle created them with one stroke of her magic wand. Shaking my head, I thumb through the pages, even finding one of the me and him together. It's comical actually, we both look like we want to torch each other.

* * *

 _Chapter 21 is Damon's chapter. It is meant to mirror this one to an extent._

 _And thank you all so much for all of your reviews. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for making this story a success. The reviews mean so much and are a big share of the reason why I decided to keep writing #DE stories. I really miss them so much._

 _Thanks to my co-pilot and very dear friend, Eva. I love you to the moon and back._

 _Chapter title: 'Stop Draggin My Heart Around' by Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty._

 _I did update "Nothing Left to Fear' yesterday. 'Dig' updated on Sunday. Please give them a look and I would love to hear your thoughts on those as well._

 _Please keep showing me the love with your reviews and maybe, just maybe, I'll post Damon's chapter very soon._

 _Be safe and have a wonderful day and thank you all again so very much. We'll see you all soon._


	21. I Wanna Go Back

"Damon, Stefanie, it's so good to see you both," Caroline squeals when the two of us step inside the door of her restaurant.

"It's good to see you too, Care," I exclaim when she pulls me into a hug. As soon as she lets me go, she latches onto Stefanie.

"Stefanie, you look great and so do you, Damon. You're doing well?" she asks, her eyes drifting from Stefanie to me.

"We're real good. I love my job. Nick pays me well and I have my own place. Stefanie is living with the Gilberts but she has her own room at my apartment too. I never thought things would be this good for me and for her," I mention, smiling at my sister.

"I'm so proud of you, Damon. You have the whole world at your fingertips now. Don't ruin it okay?"

"I'm rather proud of me too but why would you caution me like that?"

"You forget, I've seen you at your worst when you were stealing things and your mom's pills. I don't ever want to see that Damon again especially now that things are really looking up for you two."

"I won't go back to that. Those pills were an escape. I don't need to hide anymore except maybe from...," I say, my voice trailing off for a moment. Shaking myself out of my momentary stupor, I take a breath and meet her gaze once more.

"And besides, Caroline, I quit taking them for good when you gave me that ultimatum. Surely you remember that?" I ask, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Of course, I do and believe me when I tell you that no one is more proud of you than I am. But you're not going to dodge my question. Just who are you trying to avoid?" she asks as if she doesn't know.

"Caroline, please not now," I plead, using my eyes to motion towards Stefanie. "We wanted to stop in and say hello but we need to get out of here. I promised Stef that we'd go to the mall and do a little shopping for her bedroom. I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Okay, but we will talk soon, I mean it, Damon."

"I promise, Care." After giving her another kiss on the cheek, I watch her hug my little sister and then the two of us jump in my vehicle to drive over to the mall.

* * *

"What flavor do you want, Stefanie?"

"Um.. I want an orange Julius." After placing our order with the clerk, I tell Stef to get us a table while I wait for our Julius drinks. As soon as the girl hands them to me, I notice what I assume is her phone number written on my cup. Chuckling, I give her a waggle of my brows then turn around to join my sister. Once I hand it to her, I sit down, stick my straw in and then take a long slurp. Since the table she found is near the floor to ceiling windows looking outside, I turn to look that way, doing a double take when I see someone that resembles _her_. When I think about kissing her and spending the night laying beside her in bed and making her breakfast, it all seems so perfect. Even though my mind is a haze of contradictory thoughts where she's concerned, I know that it's something I could get used to.

"Can I ask you something, Damon?"

"You know that you can ask me anything."

"Um, I like living with Katherine and Papa Gray and all but didn't you want me?"

"Oh Stefanie, nothing could be further from the truth. You have to know how much I love you. It's just that my life is so unsettled. My job takes me to all these places and some of them are bad. It just feels wrong taking you away from a stable home. I'm gone all the time and I don't think I have the means to support you like you deserve, Stefanie. You'd need someone to take you to and from school and attend all your activities. I can't afford to give you the dance and gymnastics classes that you take with Katherine. Don't you see, it's just better all around for you to be with them? You're just blossoming with them. You're more outgoing, you always seem happy. I just feel that this was the right choice for you. I still get to see you whenever I want plus I have the peace of mind knowing that you're safe and well taken care of. Believe me, I really struggled with the decision to ask them to adopt you but I do think it was the right one."

"Okay. I was just afraid that maybe you didn't want me."

"That's not it at all. I love you and I'll spend every moment I can with you. I promise," I tell her, my voice sounding as sincere as it is. "Do you understand now?"

"Yes and I am happy with them. We never had a family before. It's really nice and Papa said he'd give me five dollars for each A on my report card," she adds, taking a slurp from her own drink.

"You're going to get straight A's too, aren't you?"

"Yep but can I ask you one more thing?"

"Sure," I reply, looking at her intently.

"Why don't you like Elena?"

"Why do you think that I don't like Elena?"

"You always seem to be in a bad mood with her. I heard her crying about you when she was talking to momma Miranda. I didn't listen on purpose though."

"I'll talk to her, okay? I don't hate her, far from it, Stefanie. Things are just really complicated between us."

"But why?"

"I don't know how to explain it to you so I'll do the best I can. I didn't want her to bring you into this mess, Stef. I practically begged her to keep you out of it but she wouldn't listen. I wanted to protect you and she wouldn't allow me to do so."

"I know I'm just a kid, Damon, but I'm glad she did what she did. I don't have bad dreams anymore and I'm really, really happy now."

"Oh Stefanie, I promise you that I don't hate Elena, I could never," I say, emphasizing the never. Reaching for her hands, I give them a squeeze and continue, "And I'm so happy that you don't have the nightmares anymore but she still went against my wishes. And until I can forgive her completely, I need to stay away. The thing is, I care for her too, a lot actually. And because I care, I don't want to hurt her anymore so until I get things right inside my head, it's better that I keep my distance. Can you understand that?"

"I suppose. Don't be mean to her anymore though."

"I'll try really hard, I promise."

"You better," she says, tilting her cup to take another swallow of her orange Julius. I give her a smile then turn away on the pretense of crowd watching. Raising my drink to my mouth, I can't help but think about kissing _her_. I felt the intensity of it all the way down to the tips of my toes. In other words, she rocked my world. As much as I want more of her, I don't know how we get past the animosity that's grown between us. Even as stubborn as I am, I have to admit that her tenacity is admirable. As kids, she'd never give up on me either. Despite everything, I think staying angry is the only defense mechanism I have left. If I let it go, I won't be able to hold back my desire for her. I just don't want Miranda and Grayson to be repulsed if Elena and I were to get romantic. I mean, I did spend seven years being part of their family and truth be told, those seven years were the happiest time of my life. What if I can't be myself with her? What if she sees who I am now and wants no part of me?

I like being a free spirit. I like coming and going as I please. Although I'd like nothing more than to come home to her every night after work, I don't know if I'm ready to take that leap yet. I've never been as free as I am now. I always had to fight to survive and now things are going my way. Would she be content to take things slowly? I just wish I knew the answers. And God, I wish I didn't want her so much.

"Damon?"

Snapped out of my reverie, I give Stefanie a nod then reach for my cup again. When I finish my Julius, we get up to do a little more shopping in the mall. She picks out a couple of cute tee shirts and a couple of pairs of shorts that were on sale. It's the least I can do for her now that I have a little money in my pocket courtesy of Nick. As soon as we're done, we go back to the car and drive back to Murrells Inlet to drop her off.

After telling her and the Gilberts goodbye, I get back into my car and drive back to my apartment. Rather than go inside, I walk down the street to one of the bars, ordering a bourbon straight up as soon as I sit down on one of the barstools. Twisting it, I look around, smirking when I see a bombshell with a nice rack that I can bury face in. As soon as I waggle my brows at her, she wastes no time in sidling up next to me.

"Can I buy you a drink?"

"Sure, handsome. I'm Rebekah."

"Damon," I tell her, shaking her fingers with my hand. After which, I signal for the bartender to give her what she wants. I barely have time to order before she's brushing her boobs against my arm and taking my earlobe into her mouth. Groaning aloud, I startle when she strategically positions herself and starts to massage my package through my jeans. It takes every ounce of self control I own but I reach down and pull her hand away. I'm not nearly tanked enough yet. Even though it's been much too long since I got laid, I'm in need a little more liquor first. It's not that she isn't pretty because she is but she doesn't have chestnut brown tresses and svelte legs that go on and on and eyes that I feel myself drowning in.

We continue drinking together till both of us are three sheets to the wind. Getting up, I extend my elbow for her to latch onto and then the two of us head for the exit. As soon we cross the threshold, I hear warning bells inside my head. It's when I look at her again, I see Elena. Stunned, I drop her arm and step back and it's only then that she morphs back into Rebekah. Knowing that I've overindulged, I ask for a rain check before taking off down the street. I hear her cursing a blue streak at me but I despite wanting to get my dick wet, I keep walking. Inebriated, I barely stumble through my apartment door before I pass out. I just need to sleep it off. As much as I wanted to take Rebekah up on her offer and fuck her into next week, my conscience just wouldn't leave me alone. It was like the proverbial angel and devil were sitting on my shoulders. One egging me on, telling me that 'you know you want to do it' while the one in white kept whispering Elena's name in my ear. But when she momentarily became Elena, I knew right then and there that I had to leave.

When did I become such a sap for a woman? I think to myself. Shaking my head, I head to my room, strip off my clothes and then take my time using the bathroom. As soon as do my business, I crawl into bed and stare at the ceiling till the edges blur and I drift off to sleep.

 _Reaching for the soap, I start to wash myself. Taking the scrunchie, I lather it up and start to wash myself. Paying attention only to my body, I turn quickly when I feel a little draft. My mouth drops wide open when I see Elena wink at me before shucking her clothing. Seconds later, she steps into the shower with me. As soon as I pick my jaw off the shower floor, I ask her what is happening._

 _"What do you think is happening, Damon?" she asks, giving me another lascivious wink. Without letting another second pass she wraps her hands around my neck and pulls my lips to her in a spellbinding, knee-weakening kiss. Pulling back, my dick stiffens when I see the water dripping off of her erect nipples and down the swell of her bosom and cascading down even farther following the curves of her unbelievably beautiful body. Unable to control myself, I cradle her face and start kissing her again. Using my hands, I tilt her head just the way I want to so I can deepen it. When she gasps, I waste no time in pushing my tongue into her hot mouth to twist and tangle mine with hers. It's only when my lungs start to burn in their need for air that I step away._

 _Right before my eyes she falls to her knees. And although I want her to wrap those pretty lips around me, I hate to see her on her knees. Before I can get a word out, she takes me into her mouth and good Lord does that feel... Leaning forward, I have to press my palms against the shower wall as leverage to keep my self from collapsing._

 _"Dear God, Elena," escapes from my mouth when she uses her tongue to tease my slit while at the same time she's cups my junk with her hand, squeezing and massaging and kneading me till I moan aloud, my hips undulating into her mouth in tandem her lips and sucks and gentle nips with her teeth. And when she takes me deep, I erupt like Mount Vesuvius, spilling my release down her throat. I nearly blow my load a second time when she licks her lips while slowly standing up._

 _"Elena, I.. I."_

 _"Sshh," she whispers while capturing my mouth in a heady kiss. Tasting myself on her lips is erotic beyond belief. With a shudder, I turn around long enough to turn off the spray of water. Without wasting another moment, I step out and offer her my hand. When she does, I pick her up bridal style and carry her to my bedroom for round two._

When ' _Shot through the heart and you're to blame, you give love a bad name_ ' starts to resound in my ears, I lurch upright. The thundering of my heart against my chest wall nearly takes my breath away. Placing my palm over my heart, I struggle for air till I finally suck a decent amount into my lungs. Reaching for my alarm clock, I see that it's just after eight in the morning. Shaking my head, I throw my legs over the side of the bed and stare into nothingness for the longest time. Imagining her standing in front of me, I drop my face into my hands till my breathing finally evens out. Taking one more deep shuddering breath, I get up to use the bathroom. Once I do my business, I quickly dress and hurry down to the Nick's office to see what he wants me to do today.

* * *

"Good Morning, Damon."

"Nick, what do want me to do today?"

He hands me a photo to look at. "Who's she?"

"That is the missing kid sister of one of my clients. I want you to do some digging to see if anyone will talk to you. Apparently she's a drug addict and hangs around with the lowlifes that inhabit the seedy side of town. She's only seventeen but she ran away about six weeks ago. The police are on the case too but haven't had any luck tracking down a lead. You have street cred, Damon. See if you can get anyone to talk to you."

"Sure," I reply. Standing up, I walk out, turning around when I reach the threshold. "Nick, can I ask you for a favor?" When he nods, I take a breath and explain that I told Elena that I was out of town and that should he see her, I'd prefer him not reveal my whereabouts.

"Why would you lie to her?"

"I just don't want to be around her right now."

"Damon, look, I know you have a complicated history with her but don't you think it's time to let go of your anger? She was relentless in trying to get you out of jail. Why are you still so mad at her?"

"Like you said, Nick, it's complicated. I'm feeling things that I shouldn't. I mean, we grew up together, it seems wrong to feel this way about her."

"Damon? From what she told me, they didn't raise you so much as a brother but instead as a loved and valued member of their family."

"I called her dad papa. Isn't that what 'sons' do?"

"That doesn't mean anything. You were a little boy, Damon. Give it some thought okay? And if you want my two cents worth, I think you two deserve to be happy and if that's together, no one will think anything of it. I have met Elena's dad. He's a good man and as far as you being with Elena romantically, I think he'd be very happy if that's what Elena wants too. Personally, I think she has feelings for you as well. And to answer your question, for now, I'll cover for you should she ask. But I won't lie forever, Damon."

"I'm not asking you to lie forever, just till I'm ready to face her."

"Just don't take too long to get it together, Damon. She isn't going to wait forever for you to decide what it is that you want."

"I know that, Nick. Thanks," I tell him then take the photo and go about my day, looking for the girl in the slummy sections of town.

* * *

"Whew," I say aloud, wiping my brow when I walk into my apartment. It's been a trying day at best. Not only did I get sucker punched by some low life scumbag, I also lost twenty bucks somewhere. But as luck would have it, I did get a lead on the girl. After calling Nick, he told me to go to the police to tell them what I've learned. After doing so and being assured that they would follow up, I came home. If nothing comes of the lead, I'm sure Nick will have me back down there again tomorrow. Shaking my head, I grab a beer out of my refrigerator then sit down to watch some TV. Closing my eyes, I sag and drop my head against the back of the couch.

 _"Damon will you play Barbies with me?"_

 _"No, boys don't play with dolls."_

 _"Please, Damon. I have a boy Barbie."_

 _"How can you have a boy Barbie doll?"_

 _"His name is Ken. Please play with me. I always play trucks and Legos with you," she pouts, planting her hands on her hips._

 _"Okay but I want the boy one."_

 _I can't help but smile when she squeals and claps before grabbing onto my arm and pulling me to her room._

When my phone rings, I sit up, smiling at that memory before answering my phone.

"Hello?"

"Hi Damon."

"Stefanie, hi. Did you need something?"

"I don't have school Friday. I want you to pick me up early so you can bring me back early on Sunday. Me and Katherine are going to a movie Sunday afternoon."

"Can't I go to the movie too?"

"It's a princess cartoon movie."

"Oh, I guess I'll pass then. I'll ask Nick if I can work a half day on Friday so I can pick you and then I'll bring you back early on Sunday. Is that okay?"

"Yeah. Bye, Damon. I love you."

"I love you too. Bye now," I tell her than click off the phone. Taking a breath, I lean back again. As uneasy as I feel about my feelings regarding Elena, I know that I need to make peace with her at some point. And despite everything that she did, I am so grateful that she got Stefanie away from our mother. With all the sleazy characters that my mother hung around with, God knows what would've happened if another one of her male friends decided to acquaint himself with Stefanie? My egg donor didn't give a rip about her or me. Sometimes I wonder if she ever did? To this day, I don't know why she relinquished my custody to the Gilberts nor do I have a clue as to why she took me back. Raking my hand through my hair, I have to wonder why she ever had kids in the first place. And as much as I hate her for taking me from the Gilberts, part of me is glad she did because someone had to be there for Stefanie. I shudder to think about what kind of life she would've had if I hadn't been in the house for as long as I was.

Feeling fatigued, I sigh heavily, open my can of beer and swallow it down in one gulp. And as much as I don't want to think about her, she is always, always in my head. A part of me knows with certainty that the only way to get her out of my head is to clear the air. Easier said than done, I think to myself. Sometimes it just feels like she's trying to see the boy I used to be rather than the man I am today. It's so frustrating because as much as I'd like to be that boy for her, I just can't be. I'm not him anymore and haven't been him for a very long time. Staring at the can in my hand, I get up to get another one. Grabbing my phone again, I order a pizza to be delivered and then I settle onto the couch to watch TV while I wait for it to be delivered, my mind a whir with the plethora of emotions she makes me feel.

* * *

Since Stefanie wants to go back to the Gilberts early today so she can go to the movie this afternoon, I finish up my coffee and then go to see if she's got her things together. "Are you ready to go back to Mystic Falls, Stefanie?"

"Yeah, I'm ready. I like having my own room here," she says, giving me a hug. After pressing a kiss to the top of her head, I let her go and pick up her bag to carry it out to my car. I wanted her to have a place to call her own at my place so we went out and bought a bedding set, curtains and some posters for her walls. Fortunately I didn't have to buy furniture because the room already had a bed and a dresser. I told her when I get paid again, we'd get her a small TV for her room too. A few weeks ago I painted it a pretty light blue that she picked out. The room is really girly now, down to the Mr. Teddy that she has laying on her bed. I even found a pair of Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls that are three feet tall. They sit on her bed with the teddy. I just thought that she'd like them and she did, squealing loudly when I gifted her with them.

She follows me outside and after she's buckled up, I tell her that I need to run back inside to make sure I locked my door. Once inside, I pull out my cellphone to check in with Elena. Before I talk myself out of it, I click on her icon. One part of me hopes she'll answer, the other part hopes the call will go to voicemail. It's then that I hear her pick up.

"Hello?"

"Elena, hi."

"Damon?"

"Yeah, it's me. I just wanted to check in with you. Um, how are you doing, you know since Lockwood?"

"I'm fine."

"I just talked to Stefanie. Um, I just realized that I don't think I ever thanked you for getting her away from Eleanor."

"There's no need to thank me, Damon."

"Yes, Elena, there is. I'm sorry it slipped my mind. And I wanted to tell you that I'm still out of town. I expect it to be another couple of weeks before I get back to Myrtle Beach. Nick said it would be okay if you called him if Lockwood gives you anymore trouble."

"I can take care of myself. You don't need to worry about me."

"Clearly you're in denial given what that bastard almost did to you."

"Damon, I don't want to get into it with you. If I need anything, I'll call Nick. Good luck on your assignment."

"Take care of yourself, Elena. I'll see you when I get back."

"Goodbye Damon," she says, then clicks off the phone. Shaking my head because the woman can be so exasperating sometimes, I quickly check my lock before hurrying back outside. After hopping in my car, I pull out of my parking spot and begin the short drive back to the Gilbert's home. Since they have an apartment above their garage, Jeremy moved in there so Stefanie could have his room. Next time I take her for a weekend, I promised her that Katherine could come along too. That little girl is a firecracker to be sure. She'll keep Gray and Miranda on their toes for years to come, I think to myself, a chuckle leaving my lips.

"What are you laughing about?"

"I was just thinking about Katherine. She's funny."

"I know. Momma Miranda says she's the cause of her gray hair."

Although I don't take my eyes from the road, I can't help but laugh at that. "You'll probably give me gray hair when you get a little older. No dating till you're thirty."

"I don't even want to think about boys not after daddy."

"Hey, I know I'm just your brother and you should talk to Dr. Flemming, but Stefanie, all guys aren't like that. I would never touch a girl if she said no and no decent guy would. I want you to fall in love and have a family someday but I understand why you're scared of that."

"I still talk to Dr. Flemming but not as often. I go twice a month now."

"Well, she must think you're doing well then."

"Yeah," she starts to say, rolling down the window and waving wildly when she sees Katherine in the front yard. Pulling over to the curb, I park the car, pop the trunk and then get out. As soon as Stefanie opens her door, Katherine is hugging her excitedly. Just as I'm getting her suitcase out of the trunk, Miranda walks outside to greet us.

"Hello to you too," Miranda says when Stefanie throws her arms around her middle, squeezing her tightly.

"I wanted Damon to bring me home early so we could go to the movie."

"Well, it doesn't start till three o'clock and it's only one thirty so we have time. I'm going to run to the store to get a bag of licorice and some Bunch a Crunch and Gray wants some chocolate too. We'll bring it home for him before we go to the show. It's cheaper to buy it at the store rather than the theatre. Do you girls want to ride along?"

I can't help but smile when both girls nod excitedly. Stefanie gives me a quick goodbye hug followed by Katherine. After I give Miranda a kiss to the cheek, I watch them drive away before walking inside the house.

"Hi papa."

"Damon, can you stay for awhile?"

"For a few minutes. I'm meeting some friends later." I set Stef's overnight bag down in the foyer before dropping on the opposite end of the couch from him. When I see Elena's picture on the wall, I realize that despite everything, I miss her. A part of me wants to talk to him about Elena and me and another part of me is hesitant because I don't want to get shot down by someone I really respect. Dropping my eyes, I stare at the floor till I hear him say my name.

"What's on your mind, Damon?"

Deciding that I have nothing to lose, I take a breath and blurt out what's on my mind. "It's Elena. I don't know what to do, papa."

"What do you mean?"

"I like Elena a lot. I know that if not for her persistence, I'd probably be rotting in a jail cell for the rest of my life but I just wish she would've respected my wishes to not involve Stefanie. I just wanted to protect my sister, papa."

"I understand that, Damon. But try looking at it this way. What if you were the lawyer and Elena was your client, accused of something that you know with certainty that she didn't do. Wouldn't you be just as relentless as she was? And surely you can see how Stefanie has blossomed since she's no longer weighed down by guilt?"

"She had nothing to feel guilty for."

"No, she didn't but the mind is a complex thing, Damon. Would you have done everything in your power to free Elena if your situations were reversed?"

"You know I would have. Can I ask you something else?"

"Yes, of course."

"I think I'm falling in love with her but I don't want to alienate you and Miranda. If you have issues with it, I won't pursue anything, you have my word."

"Why would you think that I would have an issue with you, Damon? We all love you. And yes, you were then and are now, a valued member of our family but you're not of our blood. If Elena feels the same way, neither Miranda or I will stand in the way."

"Really?"

"Really," he repeats, reassuring me.

"Thank you, Gray. I should get going," I add.

"I'll walk you out." I give him a nod and follow him outside. After giving him a one armed hug, I hop back in my car to drive back to Myrtle Beach. Just as I pull away from the curb, Miranda and the girls pull into the driveway. Rolling down the window, I wave but don't bother stopping. When I reach my exit, I pull onto the highway. Feeling unnerved, I can't seem to shake the fact that my head and my heart are still so conflicted about that incredibly maddening and incredibly sexy woman who fills my every waking moment.

* * *

 _Since I hurt my back at work, they're making me go in to do some office type stuff to get in my hours. So I have to get ready to go to work. I'm so not a morning person. I always try to read it through one last time to pick up any mistakes we may have missed. Forgive me if you find any. I wanted to give you Damon's chapter._

 _I really hope you liked Damon's chapter._ _Eva and I had a devil of time getting this chapter just right so it would be able to mirror the previous Elena chapter. Thank you so much Eva for putting up with me. Love you very much._

 _Thank you all so much for all of the reviews. Seriously I can't even express the words to thank you for all of the reviews and love you've shown this Damon & Elena. I'm awed._

 _Chapter title: 'I Wanna Go Back' by Eddie Money._

 _'Dig' and 'Nothing Left to Fear' are still in progress. I would love to hear your thoughts on those as well._

 _Be safe and have a wonderful day. And thank you all again. YOU ALL ROCK! See you next time._


	22. The Chain

_"Did you see Damon?"_

 _"Why would I see Damon?"_

 _"He just left a few minutes ago."_

 _Feeling my temper beginning to flare, I turn away from my mom. With my hands fisting at my sides, I take a deep breath to get my emotions under control before turning back to her with a smile on my face. "Really? I must've just missed him."_

Even though Damon lied to me about his whereabouts, I try to push it aside for now. I really don't want to have another argument with him but I do intend to ask him why he felt the need to lie. I also realize that we'll never be able to have any kind of a meaningful relationship if we're not honest with each other. And really, I don't even know if he's interested in me romantically. Yes, he did kiss me back but maybe I'm reading more into it than there really was.

"Elena, dear?"

"Sorry mom. I guess I was daydreaming a little bit."

"I would say so. Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really. I need to talk to him about it first."

"Him?"

"Mom.., I love you but don't play dumb. You know who I'm talking about."

"Elena..?"

"I care about him, mom. A lot but he lied to me. He called me when I was on my way over here and said he was still out of town. Don't worry, I'm not going to fly off the handle at him."

"Dad mentioned he saw the two of you share a kiss."

"That was a spur of the moment thing, mom. Nothing more has happened nor will it if he doesn't have romantic type feelings for me."

"Well, sweetheart, I could be completely wrong too but I've seen the way he looks at you. Maybe he's afraid given the relationship he had with us when he was still a child. If you truly care for him, dad and I are happy for you."

"Oh mama," I sigh, rushing over to her spread arms. When she gives me a hug, it feels so good.

"I don't know if I should confront him or not or should I let him come to me?"

"I think you should go to him and show him that he means something to you and that there is strength and purpose to every life. But I also think you need to tread lightly. Maybe he isn't yet ready to face what's going on. Maybe somewhere in that thick, pig-headed skull of his, he feels the same, given that he was pretty much raised as your brother for seven years. Perhaps that's why he's holding back too. Of course, you and I know that's nonsense. I love him as a son but he's not of my body. And I think the two of you could have a beautiful life together and I would love nothing more that to have him as my son in law."

"Thank you so much, mama. I love you. I will go to him and soon but I think I'll just give him a little breathing room first."

"I love you too, now why don't you help me get supper ready?" Nodding, I roll up my sleeves and start peeling potatoes, my mind whirring with all things Damon.

* * *

Rather than think about him, I bury myself in my work. Studying the file on my newest client, I can't help but get lost in my thoughts. Every time I think I've got him pushed into the periphery of my mind for a little while, he inevitably drifts back in. Hearing a rap on my doorframe, I look, smiling when I see who it is.

"Hello Nick, what's up?"

"I came to talk to you about the Jefferson case."

"Nick, his DNA was found all over the murder scene. I don't know how I'm going to be able to keep him out of prison."

"Do you think he's guilty, Elena?"

"Yes, I do but it's my job to represent him to the best of my ability so that's what I'll do. I just hope I can get him life in prison instead of the death penalty."

"I remember you thinking the same of Damon."

"Nick, that's not fair. I never thought Damon was guilty. Maybe if Mark would level with me, I could mount some kind of a defense but he's an arrogant little prick!"

"Language, Miss Gilbert," he teases, shaking his head.

"Did he say something to you? Do you know him on a personal level?"

"His older brother and I were friends in college. I don't really know Mark but his brother asked me to help him."

"Do you have Damon working on his case? I mean, he's been out of town for awhile."

"No, I've been busy enough with local matters," he informs me. I don't miss how he stares at me for a few moments before continuing with his train of thought. "Actually..., Elena, I've had Damon mainly working in and around the Myrtle Beach vicinity."

"Really?" I ask, feigning ignorance. "He told me that he was going to ask you and Matt to keep an eye on me since he would be gone. You know since the Tyler incident."

"Yes, that's one of the reasons I stopped in instead of calling."

"Why would he lie to me about his whereabouts, Nick?"

"The man is a walking, talking contradiction. He keeps so much of some things inside but yet in respects he's an open book."

"You think? I just wish I knew why he thinks he needs to hide from me. If he's not interested in a relationship, he only has to say so. It's not like I'm going to beg, I have more self respect than that."

"That's a question that you'll have to ask him, Elena."

"Oh I intend to." When he smiles that shit-eating grin at me, I roll my eyes.

"That's between the two of you. I need to get going. I'm meeting my mom for lunch."

"Have fun," I utter, not taking my eyes from him till he pulls the door shut behind him.

* * *

"Damon? How can I help you?" I ask, trying with everything in me to keep my temper in check when I answer his call. Inhaling a deep breath, I pull the phone away from my ear for a few seconds, trying to maintain my control.

"I just wanted to say hi."

"Well, I'm still here. Where might you be?"

"Um... I'm still working on this case for Nick. I.. I don't know when I'll be back."

"I see. Well, I have things to do so I'll let you go. Goodbye," I tell him, my lips tight as I speak the words. Without giving him a chance to respond, I quickly end the call. I'm so angry with him I could just spit. Instead I crumple up the piece of paper in my hands and throw it against the wall. Lying to me once maybe acceptable but if he insists on keeping up this charade, he and I are going to have words. Fortunately it's the end of the day. I'm going to go home, change clothes and take Benji out for a run.

As soon as I step inside my apartment, my beautiful, loveable dog tackles me. After spending some time giving him some love, I go into my bedroom to put on the appropriate running gear. Once I finish, I put him on his leash, grab my phone and house keys and then we're out of the door.

"Where should we go, Benji?" I ask. As if he's trying to answer me, he picks up speed, running towards the park.

"Good choice, Benj." I follow along, keeping up the pace. The running path is very pretty and I usually enjoy the scenery as the two of us meander along the wooded trail. With my head occupied with the spectre of Damon, I'm not paying attention to the path in front of me. The next thing I know I'm laying in a heap on the paved track, my ankle throbbing. Dropping my chin to my chest, I feel tears start to poke at my eyes because it hurts. I don't know if it's sprained or broken but it's already swollen up. Just as I about surrender myself to the panic I'm feeling, I remember that I have my phone. I can call someone to help me. With a shaky hand, I get so far as pushing the 9 for 911. Blowing out a puff of air, I really don't want an ambulance to have to pick me up so I quickly click on my Nick icon.

"Elena?"

"Nick, I stepped in a hole and I hurt my ankle. I can't step out it much less walk. Do you think you can come to help me?"

"Absolutely, where are you?"

"I'm on the running path in the park. Maybe a mile or so in?"

"I'm actually not far from the park. I'll be there soon."

Since there's nothing I can do but wait, I lay back on the grass, covering my eyes with my forearm. Benji snuggles in next to me, keeping me safe. With my other arm, I run my fingers through his fur, showing him that I love him too. I don't know how much time has passed when finally I hear footsteps. Raising up, I see Nick closing the distance between us.

"Oh my gosh, Elena? What happened?" he asks, running over to me quickly, his voice sounding as frantic as I feel. When Benji starts to growl at him, he pauses until I shush my dog and frisk his fur a little bit.

"Like I told you, I think I stepped in a hole. This is what I get for not paying attention. One minute I was happily jogging the path, the next I'm laying in a heap. I don't know if it's sprained or broken. All I know it that it hurts like a mother f..." Unable to hold it in any longer, my tears begin to trail my face.

"Who's your friend?"

"His name is Benji." Without saying another word, he wraps Benji's leash in his hand then leans over to pick me up. Once I'm in his arms, he carefully carries me out of the park.

"We need to get you to the ED for an Xray." He carries me along till we get to what I assume is his car. He sits my down on the hood long enough to open up the door. After letting Benji in the backseat, he lifts me once more, gingerly depositing me in the passenger seat. After making sure I'm safely buckled in, he gives me a nod before slamming my door closed. As soon as he jumps into the driver's seat, he quickly pulls out into traffic, getting us quickly to the emergency department.

"Elena, can I have your house key and your address? I'll take Benji home and then I'll come back for you if that's okay?"

"Yes, I don't want him to sit outside in the car. Who knows how long I'll have to wait?" Stretching out, I reach into my pocket, dangling the key in front of him.

"They'll take good care of you Elena. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Thanks for everything, Nick." He gives me a smile and a nod before disappearing through the emergency room door.

By the time he gets back, I'm in an exam room. At my behest, my nurse leads him into my room. Although I try to hide it, I gasp aloud, my mouth falling open when instead of Nick, Damon steps inside.

"Damon?! What are you doing here?" Even though I'm shocked to see him here, I can't keep the deep yawns from escaping my mouth. They're no doubt a side effect of the pain medication they've given me.

"Nick called me. Elena, I.. I can explain," he stutters, struggling to maintain eye contact with me.

"Damon, as much as I want to hear you try to explain yourself, this isn't the place for it... I'm sorry if I interrupted whatever you're involved in."

"No, Elena, you didn't interrupt anything. You don't need to apologize," he adds, running his fingers through his messy hair.

"Is it broken?"

"They haven't told me yet." Fatigued, I lay back, dropping my head on the exam table before covering my eyes with my forearm. I'm so close to falling asleep but my eyes fly open when someone who's not Damon mentions my name. After covering my mouth when I yawn again, I reluctantly sit up. My dreary eyes look at the doctor.

"Good news and bad news, Miss Gilbert," he says, looking down his nose at me.

"You ankle isn't broken, it is however badly sprained. Sprains can sometimes be worse than breaks. Depending on how it heals, you may need to wear a brace for awhile. It's a certainty that you'll have to get around with crutches for the next several days anyway. I want you to make a follow up appointment with your doctor for next week. He'll decide how long you'll need to stay on crutches and if a brace is indeed indicated."

"I don't want to use crutches."

"I'm afraid you'll have to. I'm also going to prescribe some pain medication for you. Obviously, you shouldn't drive under the influence of them given how sleepy you are right now."

"Don't worry, I'll be the one taking her home."

"Alright then. I'm going to give you a script for the crutches as well. You'll have to stop a medical supply company to pick them up on your way home. The nurse will be in with your discharge instructions soon then you can get out of here."

"Thank you doctor," Damon says, his eyes never leaving mine. Fifteen, maybe twenty minutes later the nurse comes in to go over the paperwork with me. As soon as I sign it, she gets a wheelchair for me. Using my good leg, I get off of the table, pivot and then sit down, allowing her to push me outside to Damon's waiting vehicle. Once inside, Damon drives me home, embarrassing me fully when he carries me into my apartment complex and into the elevator. He puts me down while we ride the elevator. I'm standing on one leg but he's holding on tightly so I won't teeter and fall. When it stops, I find myself in his arms again, stopping only when we get to my apartment door. With me still in his arms, he stoops slightly so I can put the key in and open it up.

Benji is barking like crazy by the time Damon carries me inside my apartment. When Benji growls at him, I can't help but smile. He quickly deposits me on the couch, backing off when Benji shows his teeth.

"It's okay, Benji. Damon is my friend," I whisper, giving him some love and ruffling his fur a little. He gets right in my face and starts licking me.

"Good dog, you're a good boy Benji."

"When did you get your little bodyguard?" he asks, still keeping his distance.

"After the incident with Kol. Don't be shy, come and say hi to him."

Cautiously Damon walks over, gingerly offering his hand so Benji can sniff him. In no time, the two of them are fast friends. As soon as he's done loving up my dog, he makes sure I have everything I may need in reach after which, he takes my prescriptions for the Percocet and the crutches and disappears out of my door with the assurance that he'll be back as soon as he can. Although I'm still angry at him for lying, I can't help but be grateful that he's going to the extra mile to help me out here. I do know that I don't want our talk to devolve into another knock down, drag out fight so I'm going to try not to lose my temper when I have words with him. Laying back on the couch, I raise my foot on a couple of throw pills and then close my eyes, letting the medication pull me into slumber.

* * *

I wake up to the smells of someone cooking something that smells mighty fine. Grimacing when I try to sit up, I drop back onto the pillow in frustration. A few minutes pass before I try to sit up again, carefully easing my legs onto the floor. When I scan the room, I see a pair of crutches leaning up against the wall. Unfortunately they're too far away from me to make a reach for. Tightening my lips, I try to stand on one leg, hoping I can hop my way over to them. However as I scan the distance back and forth between me and them, I decide I better stay put or I'll end up embarrassed, landing on my fanny in the middle of my living room floor.

"You're awake. How do you feel?"

"I hurt but I don't want another one of those pills till I go to bed. I feel hungover if that makes any sense?"

"It does. Narcotics affect some people more strongly than others."

"How would you know?"

"Because I've... I've... ah.. well, let's just say, I've indulged before."

"Damon?"

"Damn it, Elena. I don't take pills anymore. Caroline would only give me a job and a place to stay if I quit. And as hard as it was, I did it and if you want to know the truth, I'm pretty proud of myself for that."

I breathe in a big sigh of relief, ignoring the hint of anger clearly evident in his blue eyes. We didn't need that to come between us too. "Whatever you're cooking smells good."

"It's nothing much. I made some beef with broccoli and some steamed rice. Are you hungry?"

"I am indeed."

He smiles tersely, his eyes lingering on me for a millisecond before reaching for my crutches. He helps me to a standing position, letting me use him for balance until I have them under my arms. He lets go, following directly behind me as I hobble into the kitchen, taking a seat at the table. He pulls a chair out so, rushing out to grab one of my throw pillows to set on it then helps me raise my leg onto it.

We sit in companionable silence while we eat. Unable to take another bite, I push my plate away from me.

"This was really delicious, Damon. Thank you for this and for helping me out today. But imagine if you will, my surprise at seeing you when you told me not an hour earlier that you were still out of town?"

"I can explain, Elena."

"Please do."

"Look, I'm scared alright? I know I've said it before but I'm not the Damon that you used to know. We're a world apart now. Can't you see that?"

"No, I really can't. I care about you, Damon. Maybe more so than you're comfortable with but I can't help what I feel."

"Elena, you can't."

"You can do a lot of things, Damon, but you don't get to decide what I can and cannot feel. _I can't help the way I feel, Damon._ Nothing you do or say is going to change my feelings for you. I like the way this feels, _A lot._ Don't you think I'm scared too? I am believe me. I'm afraid that you don't feel what I feel and that you'll disappear out of my life again. I don't want to lose you, even if it means being only friends."

"Elena... I... I. I do care, more than I should but..."

"Is this about Stefanie again?" I ask, starting to feel more than a little exasperated with him and all of this.

"Do you really think this is only because of Stefanie? Yes, I'm mad as hell that you wouldn't listen and while it might have been the right decision in the long run, it wasn't yours to make. You should have talked to me. You should have included me in what you knew and you should have taken the time to make me understand the reasoning behind it all. I wasn't there when she needed me and above all else, I needed her to be safe. She WAS safe in your parents care. I wanted her to be able to move on and start a new life and most of all, I didn't want her to have to keep reliving that nightmare." Turning away from me, he runs his hand through his hair before turning to face me again.

"What happened to her was because of him, because I wasn't there to help her," he snaps, glaring at me.

"Damon, you can't blame yourself for what happened to her. Whether you're willing to admit it or not, that secret was killing her. Surely you can see the difference in her demeanor, her posture, her attitude, everything since she let it out. Dad tells me there have been no more nightmares. And yes, I'm sorry it happened the way it did. If I had to do it over again, I would have discussed it with you first but make no mistake, I still would have done everything humanly possible to save you," I tell him, reaching up to wipe the beginnings of tears from my eyes.

"Of course you would. But Elena, this was the only way I knew how to keep her safe. But you just couldn't help yourself, right? You've always, always been this way, you never let the people around you decide. You crown yourself Queen and then you make all the decisions for everyone and make them bend to your will or be damned. It didn't matter the cost, as long as you were the one in charge, it was okay to you. You think you know best but you don't know me anymore. I'm not the good guy and I don't need saving. I'm not a puppet or someone that you can mold and bend and shape to your liking. I am who I am, Elena and I'm not going to change," he seethes, fisting his hands at his sides.

Before I can get a word in edgewise, he rounds on me again. "I refuse to be your pet cause, I don't want you to fix me. And I certainly am not going to let you turn me into someone that you deem acceptable to your hoity-toity friends. Believe it or not, I like the person I am now. Even though you thwarted my efforts, I was at least man enough to try to protect Stefanie. And on top of everything else, there's no apology in the world that encompasses all the reasons that I'm wrong for you."

Unable to say anything I just stare at him through eyes blurred by tears. I drop my chin to my chest, wringing my hands together. I'm stunned speechless that he honestly believes that I made him think that I wanted him to change.

"I.. I.. I'm sorry you feel that way, Damon. But you're wrong, I DON'T want you to change. I really don't but as far as me always insisting on being right all the time, that's just not the case. Maybe that was true when we were children and probably to some extent now... but you have no right to lambaste me like this. You have no idea what my life was like after she took you from our family, from me," I spit out, shaking my head. Before he can say anything, I add, "I will not allow you to be my judge, jury and executioner for the last thirteen years of my life that you know nothing about."

When he starts to speak, I raise my hand to shush him. "And another thing, I don't have any 'hoity-toity' friends as you call them." Blowing out a breath, I feel myself run out of steam. Reaching for a tissue, I dab away my tears. When I raise my weary eyes to his again, he sighs, dropping his own head for a moment before sitting down next to me.

"You're right, Elena. I'm sorry I yelled at you. We have both made mistakes here. But the truth is that I think I'm falling in love with you and just the thought of that literally scares the shit out of me," he whispers, dropping his face into his hands. After a few seconds, he raises it again, his eyes filled with a mixture of fear and desire.

"Damon, I feel the same way." Feeling a tiny bit emboldened, I reach over to pick up one of his hands. Bringing it to my lips, I press a wispy kiss to that spot at the base of his thumb. And when our eyes meet, I whisper, "we'll figure it out..."

"Elena, I..," he shakes his head back and forth for a few seconds. Before I even have a chance to take a breath, he presses his lips to mine. They mold seamlessly, sliding together as one. When I feel his tongue, I gladly open my mouth giving him an entrance. Unable to stay attached any longer, I reluctantly pull away from him, my bosom heaving with the desire and the need for air. Just as soon as I move to reposition myself in the chair a little bit, I gnash my teeth together because my ankle decides to remind me that it needs attention. Smiling at me knowingly, he places one arm under my knees and the other behind my back. Closing my eyes, I raise my arms and wrap them around his neck, opening them when he starts to lift me. Using my arms, I hug him tightly while pressing kisses to the hollow between his neck and shoulder.

He carefully deposits me on the couch before going back into the kitchen. Feeling a bit slighted, I cross my arms over my chest. He laughs when he sees me then hands me another pain pill and a bottle of water.

"I don't want to sleep, Damon. I want..."

"I want that too, Elena but not tonight. Not when you're in pain and not until you're absolutely sure that I'm who you want. Elena, the way I feel about you, I don't want to be a rebound, I can't be. And I know that you broke up with your fiancé not all that long ago. I promise you that I won't run again and if you want, I'll stay here tonight but we've gone as far as we're going to go for now."

"You're not my rebound, Damon. I promise you that what I felt for Tyler pales in comparison to what I feel for you. The way I feel now makes me doubt that I even loved Tyler. But as long as you promise that you won't run away again, I'll do as you ask," I whisper, not taking my eyes from his. After toying with the pill in my hand for a few minutes, I finally put it in my mouth and swallow it down. Clutching Damon's hand to my chest, it doesn't take long for me to fall into another drug-induced slumber. Although I'm barely conscious, I hang onto his hand for dear life, barely coherent when I feel him lift me into his arms, depositing me in bed. On the cusp between wake and sleep, I drop off completely when I feel him pull me into his strong, muscular arms.

"Damon?"

"What is it?" he asks, dropping a kiss to the crown of my head.

"I like being in your arms." When I feel him caress my back softly, I raise up on my forearm so I can look into the brilliant hue of his eyes.

"I love you, Damon," I whisper. Using my other hand, I cup his cheek and pull his lips to mine. And it's in the kiss that I feel a sense of completeness unlike anything I've ever felt before. When we pull apart, our eyes join, a smile gracing my lips when I see forever reflected in the deep blue peepers that are staring back at me.

* * *

 _Thank you so much, Eva. I love and appreciate you so much._

 _RIP #PRINCE. You will be missed._

 _And I can't believe this story actually passed 500 reviews. Wow, I'm literally in awe. You all mean the world to me so thank you all so, so much._

 _My_ _good friend, the lovely, Caro, along with her friend and production partner, Ele have been made several brilliant trailers based on some of the more popular fan fictions. The videographer'_ _s youtube name is 'Elepatro' if you're interested in viewing some of them. They made one trailer awhile back that was left open-ended I guess you might say. It's called 'Miles to Home'. Jaybunzy0 is bringing that video to life with her story of the same name. Please give it a look. Jenn has written several wonderful DE stories._

 _Chapter Title: 'The Chain' by Fleetwood Mac._

 _Please also give 'Dig' and 'Nothing Left to Fear' a look too. I did post the first chapter of 'Turn the Page' too._

 _Remember to click the review button._

 _Please be safe and have a fabulous Thursday. Thank you all again and we'll see you next time._


	23. Pieces of April

Feeling like I have to pee wakes me up. Smiling when I feel Damon's arm around my middle, I turn gently, grimacing as I do. Reaching over, I push the button on the clock to illuminate it. I can't believe it's only two thirty in the morning. Once my eyes are accustomed to the dark, I look around, sighing heavily when i remember that he carried me to bed and that my crutches are probably still in the other room. Not wanting to wake him, I carefully extract myself from his embrace and sit at the bedside. After taking a deep breath, I plant my hands on the bedside stand while putting my weight on my good leg. I can't deny that I feel a little dizzy when I stand but I take a few more deep breaths till the feeling passes. Using my arms, I furniture hop till I reach the bathroom.

As soon as I finish, I stand up again, hanging onto the sink's edge while I get my balance again so I can wash my hands. After hopping back to bed, I breathe a sigh of relief that he's still asleep. I want to bury myself in his arms again. With utmost care, I lay back down, lifting his arm around my middle again before closing my eyes, letting dreams of him and what he said fill my subconscious.

 _"No Damon, that's not how you play."_

 _"I don't care if it's not right. This is the way I like to play the game."_

 _"Don't be silly, you have to do it this way," I tell him, pushing all the marbles off of the game board. He jumps up, immediately giving me a shove._

 _"What's that for?"_

 _"I told you that was my game. You shouldn't have done that. Now I have to start all over."_

 _"But Damon, that's not in the rules."_

 _"I don't care," he pouts, turning his back to me while putting the marbles back on the board the way they were. Fuming, I crawl over till I'm facing him._

 _"You have to play the right way or not at all!"_

 _"I didn't ask for you to help. Go play your own game and leave me alone."_

 _"Fine, but I'm going to tell daddy that you don't play fair." Slowly he raises his head, his eyes fierce. He sticks his tongue out at me before dropping his eyes and ignoring me again._

 _"Just be that way then, see if I care." Standing up, I glare scornfully at him. When he looks at me again, I scrunch up my nose and give his board a kick, sending the marbles flying haphazardly all over the room. Before he can even stand up to come after me, I run out of his room and down the stairs. Quickly, I burst into my dad's office, slam the door shut and hide underneath his desk._

 _"Elena Gilbert, you get out here," I hear my dad bellow. With my lower lip sticking out, I crawl out from my hiding place and go to face him. Just as he's about to swat my backside..._

"I'm sorry," I yell, waking up in a lurch. Looking around, the first thing I notice is that my bedroom is now bathed in sunlight. Stretching my limbs elicits a painful mewl from my mouth followed by a loud grrrr. I'm a big baby as far as pain is concerned. It hurts and I don't like it! When I suddenly feel his hand on my breast, I gasp with pleasure. But when I turn my head to face him, I'm surprised to see that he's still sound asleep. Oh dear Lord, how am I going to get out of this conundrum. As much as I want this with Damon, I don't think we're ready to take this step yet. Very carefully, I lift his hand off of my breast, tucking it safely against my belly instead. Pleased with myself, I close my eyes and snuggle back in against his chest.

* * *

The next time I wake up, Damon is no longer at my bedside. This time I see that he's brought my crutches in here so I can get up without having to hop this time. Sighing, I slide my legs over the side of the bed, sitting long enough to get my wits about me before trying to stand up. As soon as I finish in the bathroom, I make my way into the living room. Not seeing either Damon or Benji, I go into the kitchen. Finding a fresh pot of coffee, I pour myself a cup, set it on the table then hop over, taking a seat to enjoy it. It's then that I see a note. Taking a deep breath, I open it up.

 _'I haven't disappeared. I took Benji out for a run. Kick back and take it easy. I called your work and told your boss what happened. He asked that you call him when you awaken. I'll be back later. Love, D.'_

Smiling, I lift the cup to my lips, enjoying the flavor of the coffee. I don't know what Damon does but he makes the best coffee. After finishing my second cup, I grab my crutches so I can find my phone and give Elijah a call. I look everywhere but where I set it last night. Shaking my head at my own blithering, I hobble into the bedroom to pick it up from my bedside stand.

"Hi Bonnie, it's Elena. Is Elijah in by chance?"

"Yes, he's been expecting your call. How are you?"

"I took my pooch for a run and found a hole to step in. I sprained my ankle badly and it hurts like a son of a b..."

"Okay, I get the general idea," she laughs.

"Hold on, I'll connect you to him. Bye Elena."

"Goodbye Bonnie," I start to say when Elijah comes on the line.

"Elena, Mr. Salvatore called. Are you alright?"

"I'll be fine in a few days. I was telling Bonnie that I found a hole when I was running yesterday. I have a badly sprained ankle. It's just that the medication he ordered puts me in la la land. I can't work under the influence of it."

"I understand. I'm glad you're okay. Any idea when you'll be back?"

"Monday, I hope. Could you send some of my files over? At least I can get up to speed on those things while I'm laid up here at home."

"I'll do that. I'll send them over with Bonnie."

"Thank you. And have a good day, Elijah."

"You as well. If you're not up to coming back yet Monday, keep me informed."

"I will. Bye now." As soon as he clicks off the phone, I set mine down and drop back onto the mattress. Closing my eyes, it doesn't take long for me to feel sleepy again. Since I want to be awake when Damon gets back, I drag myself out of bed and into the bathroom to take a shower to get cleaned up before he and Benji get back.

* * *

Glancing at my watch, I see that it's almost one o'clock already. I haven't heard from Damon nor my dog for that matter at all. Although I can't help but feel a bit anxious, I glom onto the fact that he told me that he wouldn't run away anymore.

My phone ringing startles me from my thoughts. Blowing out a breath, I pick it up, smiling when I see that it's my dad.

"Hi daddy."

"Hello little girl. A little bird told me that you had an accident."

"If it's the little bird I'm thinking of, he's not so little." I smile a litter wider when he breaks out in a heartfelt sounding laugh.

"Indeed," he chuckles.

"When did you talk to him anyway?"

"He and Benji showed up on our doorstep this morning. He and I had a little conversation."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Is he there now?"

"Not right now. He and Benji took Katherine and Stefi out for a walk. He said that they wouldn't be gone long because he needed to get back to you."

"Dad, what did you talk about?"

"I think I'll let him tell you all about it. He's a good man, Elena."

"I know that, daddy. Tell me, was I always a brat around him?"

"Oh you had your moments alright, but no, you weren't always a brat, sweetheart. Why do you ask?"

"He pretty much said that about me, like it was either 'my way or the highway'. It kills me to think that I made him feel that he didn't measure up."

"Elena, he knows you care. You just need to let him have a say in decisions too. As much as I'm glad that Stefanie is now free from the burden she carried, I do agree that we should've talked to him first. That's just as much my fault as it is yours. I should've insisted at the time but I just wanted that little girl to feel better."

"You're right. Listen, I need to take a pain pill. Will you send him home when he gets back?"

"I will baby girl. You get some rest and keep that leg elevated."

"Okay daddy. Bye..."

"Goodbye, I'll call you tomorrow." After I hear him drop a kiss to the receiver, the dial tone sounds. I click off the phone then set it back down. After taking one of my pain pills, I grab my fleece throw blanket and cuddle up on the couch and wait for Damon to get home. With each passing moment, my eyelids get heavier and before long, I'm hovering on the line between wake and sleep, dropping off completely when I feel the sensation of a kiss to my forehead.

 _"Damon, keep your eye on the ball," I shout._

 _"Would you please shut it? I'm trying to concentrate."_

 _"No Damon, you can't close your eyes when the pitcher throws the ball."_

 _"I know that." I roll my eyes when he swings and misses the ball again. I know darn well he's closing his eyes instead of watching the ball._

 _"Don't be scared, Damon. You'll never hit the ball if you don't keep your eyes on it," I scream from the bleachers. My dad is coaching little league baseball and after much coaxing got Damon to join his team. Daddy walked away to use the bathroom otherwise, he'd probably tell me to zip it too. I watch as the pitcher winds up again, the ball soaring across the plate. I roll my eyes when he swings and misses again._

 _"Damon," I yell. Suddenly I feel a hand on my shoulder._

 _"Elena, he's only eight years old. Just tone it down a little bit. He'll get the hang of it."_

 _"But how's he ever going to hit the ball if he won't open his eyes, daddy?"_

 _"He does open his eyes, he squints though. I don't want you to needle him anymore. Do you understand?"_

 _"Yes, daddy," I pout, crossing my arms over my chest and sitting back down, my lower lip sticking way out. The next pitch is right across the plate and this time much to my surprise, he actually hits the ball. He's tagged out at first base but at least he hit the ball. When he gets back to the dugout, his smile is a mile wide. Daddy gives him a high five. Still mad, I ignore him when he crosses his arms, glaring at me with a smug look on his face._

When I hear my name, I fly upright, grimacing as I do.

"Relax Elena, I didn't want you to sleep all day otherwise you won't sleep tonight."

"When did you get back?" I start to ask when Benji jumps on my lap. I breathe a sigh of relief that he didn't land on my ankle.

"A couple of hours ago?"

"What time is it?"

"Around four. Is there anything you'd like for supper?"

"I hadn't really thought about it."

"I went to Murrells Inlet to talk to your folks about us. I talked to your dad before but I just wanted to be sure that they'd be okay with this," he says, gesturing with his hand between me and him.

"Oh..."

"I wanted to ask them if they were okay with us trying to build something meaningful between us."

"Damon, I want you to know that I'm sorry if I sometimes made you feel less than worthy. You have to know that I would never intentionally do such a despicable thing. And you're right, I should've kept you in the loop when dad and I took Stef to visit with Ric. But know this, I promise with everything in me that from now on, we'll decide things together," I whisper, feeling tears begin to prick at my eyes.

"You should have but we're past that now," he says, giving me a reassuring nod. "Your parents provided me with the only real home that I've ever known. I respect them too much to not keep this above board. If we're to be together, I don't want to hide. I can't explain it but I felt compelled to go to speak with them."

"And what did they say?"

"They were good with it, really good." He walks over, sitting on the edge of the couch. He cups my cheeks with his hands then leans over to pull me into a mind-altering kiss.

"Wow," I whisper, pulling away, my chest heaving.

"Did you really have any doubts?"

"Not really, Elena but I just had to know."

"That was really chivalrous of you, Damon," I gush, smiling widely when he leans forward to capture my lips again. I practically swoon when he lays me back on the couch but as he does, Benji decides to join the fray, licking and pawing at me. He's the sweetest dog. When he finishes with me, he starts to lick my man. Both Damon and I are in tears from laughing so hard by the time he jumps off of my lap.

When our eyes meet again, it's like the moon and the stars and the universe fall into alignment. We both lean forward at the same time, our lips joining in the heat of passion. I raise my hands to cradle his cheeks so I can tilt his head just the way I want. Deepening the kiss, I run my tongue along the seam, urging him to open his mouth. When he obliges, I waste no time, thrusting my tongue inside to join his. Electricity surges through me everywhere his skin touches mine. Needing air, I pull away breathlessly, my chest heaving with desire. A smile forms on my face when I see that his eyes are focused on my bosom.

I gasp when he nudges my tee shirt up, using his hand to trace the swell of my breast. My breath hitches when he runs his thumb over my already firm nipple. As he strokes, I close my eyes and drop my head on his shoulder.

"Do you like that?" he whispers, sucking my earlobe into his hot moist mouth.

"You have no idea."

"Are you sure, Elena?"

"I've never been more sure of anything in my entire adult life. Take me to bed, Damon." After I whisper those words, I raise my eyes to his, seeing the same lust mirrored back at me. He pulls my lips into another heady kiss before lifting me into his arms. I love the feeling of his arms around me. It feels so right. Once inside, he lays me gently on the bed. Stepping back, he pulls his tee shirt over his head and kicks off his shoes before joining me. I pull him into my arms, giving him another smoldering kiss. Even though my foot hurts, I'm going to show this man how very much I really do love him.

Using every ounce of strength I possess, I flip us over, sore foot be damned. After pressing another tumultuous kiss to his lips, I begin my descent, encircling his nipple with my mouth and teasing it with my tongue while my hand works the other one. Once I give due attention to each, I slowly move south, running my tongue around his navel. When I reach his waist band, I give him a wink then pop the button and work his jeans and boxers down his legs. My man is so beautiful both inside and out. Feeling a shiver, I take ahold of his now straining erection, hoping he'll enjoy what I'm doing.

"God, Elena," he pants, his hips moving raising and falling with my strokes. I smile when he reaches down, placing his hand over mine, the two of us work together to take him over the edge. His grunts and whimpers and growls are music to my ears. It's when I lower my lips to take him in my mouth. It's then that a loud growl escapes his mouth.

"Elena.. I.. I," And the next second, he erupts, spilling everything he has to give down my throat. While his body jerks and trembles, I help him through it. As soon as he calms down, I press a kiss to the tip then crawl back up his body, latching onto his kiss swollen lips, letting him have a taste of himself.

When I feel him shudder, I smile against his lips. Pulling away, I bury my face in the spot between his neck and shoulder.

"Lord woman, where did you learn to do that? Never mind, I don't want to know," he says with a shiver. The next thing I know, I'm beneath him, his lips and teeth sucking and nipping that spot behind my ear and down my neck. When I start writhing, he sits up, quickly divesting me of my clothes. The look in his eyes when he sees me naked for the first time empowers rather than embarrasses me.

"You're exquisite, Elena." Without wasting another moment, he captures one of my nipples, suckling and biting sending shivers up my spine. While giving my other nipple the same attention, I feel his hand pull my legs apart so he can settle in between them. I tremble when he plunges a finger and then two inside of me. I know no matter how old I live to be, I'll never get enough of this man. It takes no time at all for him to send me flying, more incoherency leaving my lips. I've never known such pleasure at the hands of a man. He continues coaxing me through it till my body finally quits quivering. A light sheen of sweat is already coating my skin. Reaching up, he pushes a strand of hair behind my ear, the look in his eyes is so full of love that it literally makes my breath hitch. Unable to say anything, I just wrap him in my arms, his head at home right against the thrumming of my heart.

Raising his eyes, I smile because I can see forever in them. I know he's silently asking if I'm sure. I nod vigorously then caress the side of his face with my palm. I know I love this man, there's no doubt in my mind. I mouth the words, a big smile forms on his face as each word is spoken without sound. He sighs, visibly relaxing before mouthing those same three words back to me. He raises up, pressing a heady languid kiss to my lips at the same time, he pushes inside of me. A needy gasp sounds in the room, it's not just one, it's both of us that is shaken by the magic of this. He stills, dropping his forehead against my chest. Somehow I know he's trying to keep himself together. I run my hands through his messy locks, caressing and hoping to convey how much I care.

"Damon?"

"I'm okay. It just feels so right, Elena." He presses a kiss to my chest before starting to move again. I meet every forward thrust of his with one of my own. Before long we find a rhythm that gives us both shivers. The sheen of sweat is building as our bodies slide against each other in perfect harmony. He pulls out and I know exactly what he wants when I see the lusty look in his eyes so I roll onto my hands and knees. He gets behind me, firmly grasps my hips before burying himself inside of me once more. He's so deep, hitting that spot inside me with each forward thrust. My arms weaken so I drop to my elbows, burying my face in the pillow, moans and grunts and skin slapping against skin fills the room. It's never been more perfect than it is with him.

"God, Damon," I gasp when another well aimed stroke grazes my front wall. The next thing I know I'm spiraling into a blaze of white hot flashes, my body jerking and stuttering chaotically. Damon raises me up into his arms, wrapping one around my chest, the other hand he positions at the apex of my thigh. He strokes my pleasure point while continuing his upward thrusts. Moments later, his body quakes and tremors, his arms pulling me even tighter against him as he screams my name aloud. When I hear him say it, I tear up because it was my body giving him such profound pleasure. Moments later, we collapse onto the mattress, the weight of his body pushing me into the mattress. I revel in the feel of our sweat drenched skin when he makes no move to lift himself off of me. I want to keep him inside for now and for always.

Much too soon, he rolls off, pulling out of me. His chest is heaving so hard, he's literally panting. Lifting my hand, he presses my palm on top of his heart and his atop mine. The fact that his heart is still galloping against my hand puts an even bigger smile on my face.

"Damon, I.. that.. I..." my voice fades to nothing when he turns his baby blues on me. Opening his arms wide, I waste no time in snuggling into them. After pressing a kiss to his chest, I close my eyes and breathe him in. He caresses my back and hair with his hand before dropping a kiss to the crown of my head.

"Elena, I want this, I want this with you."

"I want it too, Damon." He smiles, drops one more kiss to my still drenched hair then closes his eyes. I stare at him for a long time. When his breathing evens out, I know he's in slumber. Snuggling as close to him as I can, I drop a kiss to his chest and close my eyes too, joining him in a blissful sleep where only he and I exist.

* * *

 _Thank you so much, Eva. I love you lots._

 _And a big thanks to all of you for taking those extra few moments to review. I am simply in awe of the love that you have shown this story. I can't begin to express my thanks and tell you how much I appreciate all of you. You are all the best. THANK YOU._

 _Chapter title: 'Pieces of April' by Three Dog Night._

 _I did just post the first chapter of the new and improved 'Halo'. It's called 'Halo: The End of the Beginning'. I added about 500 words to the original story. It'll be 2 chapters followed by a short sequel. Also 'Dig', 'Turn the Page' and 'Nothing Left to Fear' are still in progress. Both Eva and I would love to hear your thoughts on those as well._

 _Please be safe and I hope you all have a fabulous day. Thank you all again so much. We'll see you next time. Carol_


	24. Up Where We Belong

"Get the ball Benji," Damon yells, throwing the ball into the surf. Benji absolutely loves Damon, following him wherever he goes when he's with me or when the three of us go out. I couldn't be happier at the turn my life has taken.

"Benji," I yelp when he brings the ball over, shaking out his wet fur on me. Crossing my arms over my chest, I give him the evil eyes. He barks at me before running back over to Damon, who is keeled over laughing. Shaking my head, I can't help but laugh along with him.

"I love that dog."

"Wait till he does the same to you. We'll see how much you love him then!"

"He's a dog, that's what dogs do," he chortles, wrapping his arms around his middle.

"You're laughing so hard your belly hurts. Serves you right." When I look around, I see that Benji has gotten ahead of us. Putting my fingers in my mouth, I whistle loudly and soon he's scampering down the beach towards us.

"Damon, I need to talk to you about something."

"Okay..."

"Stefanie asked me about your mother."

"Why?"

"Maybe she just needs some closure. Your mom isn't going to be getting out of jail anytime soon and perhaps, she just wants to say goodbye, I don't know?"

"I hate that. That woman doesn't deserve anything from either of us. I know she still sees that counselor. Perhaps we should talk to her about it?"

"I think that's a brilliant idea."

"I think it's best if we have a professional opinion first."

"I couldn't agree more."

"Thank you for telling me. I would've been livid if you had taken her to see that woman behind my back."

"I know you would have. You and I have been down that road before and I really don't care to repeat it. Which it why I wanted to discuss it with you first. She asked me not to tell you but I couldn't not. All I could think of was how angry you were with me when she talked to Ric. And you, Mr. Salvatore know how to hold a grudge."

"Elena.. I.."

"Don't apologize, Damon. You did nothing wrong. It was my responsibility as your attorney to keep you informed and I didn't. I'll always regret that."

"It's over and done with, we've moved on. Um.. we haven't talked about the fact that Tyler was sentenced to probation only."

"Of course, I don't like it but I really didn't expect him to spend any time in jail. Given who his father is plus the fact that it was his first offense, I feel fortunate that he didn't get off scot free."

"Me as well. If he comes near you again, I won't be responsible for what happens."

"I don't think he will. Rumor has it that he's dating some girl from Charleston whose family dates back to the Civil War."

"Really?"

"Yep, but let's not talk about him anymore," I whine, standing on my tip toes to give him a peck on the lips. Just as our lips meet, Benji starts barking incessantly. Both of us laugh when we see that he's barking at a Hermit crab crawling in the sand.

"Okay Benj. Come, let's go home now," Damon says, hooking his leash back up to his collar. When he holds out his hand, I latch on, linking my fingers with his. With a smile on both of our faces, we start walking hand in hand back to the car.

* * *

"Elena, I agree this house is just beautiful but we can't afford it. You're working in the public defenders office and I'm working for Nick. We need to find something that we can afford."

"You're right. I was thinking three bedrooms and two baths?"

"That sounds great if we can find something in our price range. We could get by with two bedrooms if need be. I want Stefanie and yes, Katherine too, to be able to come and have overnights from time to time."

"I absolutely want that as well, Damon. Speaking of Stefanie, she has really blossomed in my parent's care."

"She really has. That's the main reason that I don't want her to see that woman. I don't want her to regress."

"Have you had a chance to talk with Dr. Fleming yet?"

"I called her. Stefanie and I have an appointment a week from tomorrow."

"We'll have to do what the doctor recommends whether that means the two of you wash your hands of her or if it means taking Stefanie to see her so she can have some closure."

"I know that, Elena. I just dread seeing that woman again. I guess in a weird way, I should be grateful that she took me out of your home. Who knows if we'd be together now had I never left?"

"Damon, don't think that way. I never really thought of you as a brother. You were always my best friend. No child deserves to be treated the way she treated you. I'm so sorry that you had to live through that."

"Me too but I'm here with you now. I love you, Elena."

"I love you too, Damon, always and forever." He quickly closes the distance between us, smashing his lips to mine in a heady kiss, my knees weakening with each pull of his lips on mine. When he pulls back panting, he picks me up, throws me over his shoulder and practically leaps into our bedroom where he proceeds to take me to heights previously only reached in my dreams.

* * *

"Elena, hi."

"Hi Matt. It's good to see you."

"You too. Why are you here? Don't take this the wrong way but you usually don't wear jeans when you're going to meet with a client?"

"No, I'm here on a personal matter today. I'm waiting for Damon and Stefanie. They're talking with Eleanor. Stefanie was asking about her and wanted to see her. She and Damon had a visit with her counselor and that's why we find ourselves here today."

"How is Stefanie?"

"She's doing really, really well, Matt. She's already calling my parents mom and dad. She and dad are really tight. Even Jeremy has taken her under his wing."

"That's great, Elena. How are you and Damon?"

"Good, really good, Matt. We put a bid in on a little beachfront house. It's small but we both fell in love with the wrap around porch and bay window."

"I'm really happy for both of you." I'm so wrapped up in visiting with Matt that I don't even notice when Damon steps beside me holding Stefanie's hand in his.

"Matt, how are you?" Damon asks, offering Matt his hand.

"I'm really good. And how are you, Miss Stefanie?"

"Um, I'm okay," she starts to say, her eyes focusing on mine.

"It's okay, Stefanie. You remember Matt don't you?"

"Thank you for helping me and Damon."

"You're very welcome. You can thank me by being happy." She smiles widely, nodding her head up and down. After saying goodbye to Matt, the three of us go outside and hop back in the car to take Stef back to my parents home. When we arrive, Stefanie wastes no time in running into the house and straight to my dad. By the time Damon and I step inside the house, dad is giving her a big hug. While keeping her in his embrace, he raises his eyes to both me and Damon, a smile on his face.

"So how did it go?" he asks when he stands up, Stefanie still clinging to his side.

"I talked to her, poppy. She told me that she was sorry and that she let the drugs consume her. And that I should forget about her and be happy with you and mama." Smiling sadly at her, he strokes her back gently.

"I'm glad she told you that she was sorry, sweetie. Why don't you go find mom now? She made some cupcakes while you were gone. Perhaps you can talk her out of one?" dad tells her with a wink.

"Cupcakes, yum," she squeals running off to the kitchen.

"How did it really go, Damon?"

"She's right. Eleanor said she was sorry to both of us and that we deserved better. Even though I could barely look at her, she apologized for taking me out of your home and for throwing away the letters that I wrote to all of you. She even confessed to burning the ones you guys sent me. Your family never forgot about me, she did everything in her power to sever the ties between us. I don't know if I'll ever be able to forgive her. Time will tell. But if this is what Stef needed to say goodbye to our past, it was worth having to see that woman again."

"She'll be fine, Damon. We'll take good care of her."

"I know you will. I'll never be able to thank you enough for making sure she was placed with your parents and not some strangers. She's happier than I've ever know her to be and for that, I'll be eternally grateful. Thank you for giving her such a wonderful home. And for giving me this one," he says softly, pulling me close and pressing a kiss to my temple.

"Damon, you've been a member of this family since you were five years old. Never forget that. Maybe if everything works out, in time, you'll be my real son." My mouth drops slightly as does his but after a moment, he smiles, offering dad his hand.

"You ready to go home, sweetheart?"

"Sure Damon. Let me say hello to mom and then we can go if you want." After speaking with my mother for awhile, she goes out into the other room with me where dad and Damon are engrossed in something on TV. When he sees me, he stands up, entwining our fingers together. After saying our goodbyes, we jump in our car to drive back to Myrtle Beach because Benji hasn't been outside all day. Just as he pulls away, I turn to look out of my window, waving goodbye to our family till they disappear when Damon makes a right turn onto the street that leads to the highway.

* * *

Damon and I were very fortunate. We moved into our little beach house a few weeks ago. Both us breathed a huge sigh of relief when the previous owners accepted our bid since it was less than what they were asking for the property. The house payment is actually smaller than my apartment rent. The place isn't large, only two bedrooms but it's all we need for now. We're still adjusting to living together. He's lived on his own since he was a sixteen year old kid when his stepfather banned him from their home. So having a roommate is something new for him and for me too. We have had a couple of nonsensical arguments but we promised each other that we'd never got to bed angry. When I notice the picture of the two of us sitting on top of the mantel, I reach up to stroke my fingers over his face, my reverie broken when I hear my name.

"Can we take Benji for a walk on the beach, Elena?"

"Of course, Stefanie. Why don't you and Katherine get your swimming suits on and then we'll go?"

"We can go into the water?"

"Sure you can. I have some sunscreen in the cupboard under the sink in the bathroom. Would you go find that for me?"

"Elena, I'm hungry."

"I know Katherine. So am I. I thought we could get something to eat at the beach. Stefanie wants to take Benji with us."

"Okay. Can I have a funnel cake then?"

Smiling, I just shake my head. "Go put your swimming suit on."

"Can we call momma after while?"

"Certainly we can. I want to see how she's enjoying her spa weekend anyway. Now go change into your bathing suit so we can go."

As soon as the girls change into their suits, we put the leash on Benji and the three of us walk down to the beach. For my mother's birthday, we went together to send her to spa for a long weekend of pampering. Dad, Jeremy and Damon drove to the outer banks of North Carolina to do some fishing. I happily agreed to take the girls. Damon promised to make it up to me and I intend to hold him to it. Once we find a nice place on the sand, I throw our beach towels down, taking time to slather sunscreen on Stefanie and then on Katherine. They squeal and run into the surf, Benji following right behind. After putting sunscreen on myself, I lay down on my towel to take in some sun. Not long afterwards, I feel drops of water raining down on me. When I look up, Stefanie is standing over me. She laughs then drops down onto her towel.

"Are you done swimming already?"

"No, I.. I just wanted to ask you something."

"Alright?"

"Are you going to marry Damon?" Taken aback, my mouth drops open.

"Um.. I don't know.. I love your brother very much and if he asks me to marry him, I will."

"I want you to marry him. I love you, Elena."

"I love you too." Even though she's dripping wet, I pull her into my arms to give her a hug and press a kiss to the crown of her head. With our minds elsewhere, Katherine and Benji sneak up on us. Shaking out his fur, Stef and I get splattered.

"Benji?" I chuckle, giving him some love when he lays down by my feet. While the girls keep an eye on Benji, I walk over to the concession stand to buy us each a hot dog, drinks and the funnel cake that I promised Katherine. When we're done eating, the girls go back into the ocean to play for a little while. Just as I'm about to lay down again, I hear my phone chirp.

"Damon, hi. I miss you."

" _I miss you too, baby. Are you having a good time with the Stef and Katherine?"_

"We're at the beach right now. They're having a blast in the water and with Benji."

 _"I'm glad. I promise you that when I get home, I'll make it up you in many ways," he teases, his voice husky sounding._

"I intend to hold you to that promise," I laugh. When I hear my dad's voice calling for Damon in the background, he tells me he has to go but I hear him press a kiss to the phone before he clicks it off. As soon as I notice both of the girls yawning, I gather up our things and then the three of us go back to the house. After they change their clothes, they both crash on the couch to watch TV. The next time I peek at them, they're both sound asleep. Also feeling fatigued after being in the sun all day, I drop into the recliner, put my feet up and doze off myself.

* * *

By the time I wake up, the girls are both awake too and hungry again. After cautioning them to keep the door locked, I grab my bag, leash Benji and the two of us walk the couple of blocks to the closest Chinese restaurant. Katherine loves Teriyaki chicken with steamed rice. Stefanie likes stringbean chicken. Once I place my order, I tell the clerk that I'll wait outside for my order with my dog. She assures me that she'll come to get me when it's ready. Taking out my phone, I text Damon to see what he's doing. Moments later he texts back with a heart and an I love you, telling me that they're on their way back home after spending the day fishing. Smiling, I text him back that I love him, my reverie suddenly broken when Benji starts growling. When I raise my eyes, I'm stunned to see Kol Mikaelson standing just out of reach of my little bodyguard.

"What do you want?"

"May I remind you, Miss Gilbert, that this is public property?"

"Just stay away from me Kol or I'll let him get better acquainted with you." A smirk forms on my face when I see his eyes widen fearfully for a millisecond before he masks it.

"Don't be like that, darling."

"I'm not your darling!" When he steps closer, Benji starts to tug sharply on the leash. I need to stand up so I can keep him from attacking Kol.

"If I were you, I'd leave otherwise I might not be able to hold onto him..."

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Oh wouldn't I?" I snap, my eyebrows scrunching together as I glare at him. When he steps close enough for Benji to reach him, my dog bares his teeth, his growl lethal sounding. Kol wastes no time in backing off. Without saying another word to me, he disappears around the side of the building. Visibly relaxing, I give Benji some love and tell him he's a good boy. Finally our food is ready so I quickly pay for it and take off down the road with Benji leading the way.

* * *

"Can we stay with you again sometime, Elena?"

"Absolutely, Katherine." She throws her arms around my neck, squeezing me tightly. Once she lets go, she disappears into the living room.

"Thank you, Elena. I had a really good time."

"You're welcome, Stefanie. The next time, we'll include mom, okay?" She nods and after giving me a hug too, she takes her bag and disappears up the stairs to go to her room.

"Were they good for you?"

"They were mom. How was the spa?"

"I had a wonderful time. If I do that again, you're going to come along."

"I like that idea..," I start to say, pausing when I hear a car pulling into the driveway. Walking over to the window, I pull the curtain aside, smiling widely when I see Damon step out of the car.

"The guys are home."

"You're literally beaming, Elena. It isn't hard to guess why," she laughs. As soon as he steps into the house, I launch myself at him. When he picks me up, I wrap my legs around his middle, my arms around his neck and kiss him fiercely.

"Wow," he gasps when I pull back.

"Wow indeed," I add, giving him a flirtatious wink.

"We need to get home like twenty minutes ago," he whispers into my ear so no one else can hear him. Nodding I put my legs back on the floor. After Damon says hello to Katherine and Stefanie and we say goodbye, we jump in the car, taking off down the highway, driving as fast as the speed limit will allow to get us home. As soon as we step inside the house, he kicks the door closed with his boot and launches himself at me, pressing his lips to mine in a heady kiss. When we pull apart, he drops his forehead against mine, whispering that he loves me. Before I know what's happening, he throws me over his shoulder and drops me onto our bed. Without wasting any time, he divests both of us of our clothes.

After giving me a sensuous glance with his eye thing, he jumps onto the bed and settles between my legs. His length teasing my core enough to cause chill bumps to erupt all over my body. Reaching up, I cradle his cheeks and pull his lips to mine. They mold seamlessly against each other. His kisses alone are enough to send me into orbit with bright stars and blinding lights. Shivering, when I feel him tease me again, I reach between us, wrapping my fingers around his erection. He drops his head into the space between my neck and shoulder, his breathing heavy as I work him with a shaky hand. I love this man so much.

"Stop, Elena. I want to cum inside of you." I withdraw my hand raising it back to cup his beautiful face.

"I love you, Damon, so much." After whispering the same to me, he drops a kiss to my mouth and then my neck and then down the valley of my breasts, finally capturing one of my nipples with his teeth. He suckles and nips and bites gently before giving my other breast the same attention.

"God, Damon, that mouth of yours," I whimper, my body unconsciously raising to push my breast further into his mouth. When he lets go with a plop, he continues his descent down my body. He throws one of my legs over each shoulder before pressing his mouth to my nether lips. I can hardly take the pleasure he's giving me with his lips and tongue. My hips are raising to meeting his mouth of their own accord and when he plunges a finger inside of me, I nearly fly off of the mattress. He strokes me through it, drops a kiss to either side of my thighs before creeping back up, latching onto my lips in a mind-numbing kiss, his tongue tangling with my own when I let him in. With his lips attached to mine, he pushes inside, thrusting in softly before pulling out and pushing in more firmly this time. And then he pauses, again dropping his forehead onto my chest, breathing me in.

"I love you so much, Elena." It's then that he raises his head, his eyes boring into mine. Tears start to poke at my eyes when I see all the love I have for him mirrored in his the brilliant hue of his blue eyes. After he takes a deep shuddering breath, he growls aloud when he starts to move again. With our bodies so intimately joined, I have no sense of where he ends and I begin. Needy whimpers and moans escape my mouth as he works us into a pleasurable rhythm, my hips raising to meet each of his forward strokes. Even though my breaths are coming in gasps and my chest is heaving with desire, I summon every ounce of strength I possess, using my legs to flip us over. I anchor my palms on his chest and slide my body up and down along his length.

Using his hands, he latches onto my hips and helps me. When I start to tire, he sits up so our chests are flush one against the other, giving my nipples the delicious friction I need. Between his upward strokes and my grinding, I'm nearly there. It's only when he reaches between us to stroke me _there_ that I launch, flying through time and space in a hail of bright colors and rising heat. Unable to hold myself up, I drop my face onto his shoulder while my body shudders chaotically. He pushes up once, twice, three more times before his own body stiffens, holding me tightly against him when he reaches his own Nirvana.

Once we both waft back to earth, he pulls us down to a lying position and wraps me in his arms, holding me close. When I'm in his strong yet loving embrace, I know where home is. It'll always, always be with him. After his breathing evens out, he excuses himself to use the bathroom. I close my eyes with a smile on my face, opening them when I feel the dip of the mattress as he crawls back in bed. Taking me in his arms again, he drops a kiss to my still sweat dampened hair.

"Elena, I need to ask you something."

"Okay," I say softly, raising up on an elbow so I can return his gaze. His chest is heaving and I don't know if that's good or bad. Turning away from me for a moment, he pulls something out from under his pillow. My mouth drops wide open when I see the little robin's egg blue box from the place where someone had breakfast.

"Damon?" I mumble, my eyes fixed on that box. After pressing another kiss to my lips, he opens it up, an emerald cut yellow diamond blinding me with its brilliance. Stunned, no words slip form my mouth. When I feel tears begin to prick at my eyes, he pulls me close again.

"Elena, will you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?" Still stunned speechless, I look at him and then the ring and back at him. Voiceless, I bob my head up and down as happy tears begin their descent down my cheeks.

"Is that a yes?" he asks, an ear to ear smile forming on his face.

"Yes, yes, Damon. I want nothing more than to be your wife." He takes the ring out of the box then reaches for my hand, sliding it on that finger. My heart is hammering against my ribcage and I know he can feel it because I can feel his doing the same, thrumming against my cheek. He pulls my lips into a smouldering, body-numbing kiss then pulls me close whispering over and over again that he loves me. Completely fatigued from the weight of all of this, I link my fingers with his then close my eyes and fall into a peaceful slumber in my home that is his arms.

* * *

 _One chapter left._

 _A MASSIVE THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR MAKING THIS MY MOST SUCCESSFUL STORY EVER. I'M OVERWHELMED AND SO THANKFUL. YOU'RE ALL THE BEST._

 _A huge thank you to Eva as well. We would not be here if not for her guidance and insight._

 _C_ _hapter title: 'Up Where We Belong' by Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes._

 _'Dig', 'Nothing Left to Fear' and 'Turn the Page' are still in progress. I will be posting the second and final part of 'Halo: Through the Mist' soon._

 _Watch for "Faded Coat of Blue' to post as well._

 _Please click that *REVIEW* button. They mean the world to me. I appreciate them and all of you so much._

 _And as always, be safe, have a fabulous day and we'll see you soon for the final chapter of 'Angels Fall'._


	25. I Don't Want to Miss a Thing

"What are you thinking about?" Damon and I are barefoot, walking hand in hand down the beach in front of our home. Benji is running ahead of us, searching for the stick that Damon tossed into the distance. Feeling the sand between my toes is something that I've always loved. Smiling, I pause for a moment, never letting go of his hand.

"I just was thinking about how much I love you, Damon. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever believe that I could be so happy. I literally shudder when I think about what my life would look like if I had married Tyler."

"You wouldn't have. You decided to break up with him before there was anything between us. I'm certain that you would've come to the same conclusion whether or not I was in the picture."

"Do you really believe that?

"I do. You have a good head on your shoulders, Mrs. Salvatore. I don't believe for one moment that you would've ever walked down that aisle to Tyler."

"Thank you for having so much faith in me," I whisper, wrapping my arms around his neck. I step onto my tip toes and press a smoldering kiss to his lips, our mouths molding and sliding seamlessly together. When he pulls away, he drops another kiss to the tip of my nose before taking my hand again just as Benji comes running back with the stick in his mouth. Stooping down, he loves our dog up. My mangy mutt is as much apart of our family as every other one of our loved ones.

"Elena, if you hadn't been so pig-headed about saving me when I didn't want to be saved, we wouldn't be here now either. So thank you, my love." Smiling, I let go of his hand and sit down, cross legged in the sand. He drops down beside me, putting his arm around me when he sees me shiver.

"Do you want to go inside?"

"Not yet. Let's just watch the waves as they crash onto the shore for a little while. He repositions us so I'm seated between his legs with both of his hands splayed on my burgeoning belly. When I feel baby Salvatore kick against his hand, I smile widely when I see the awed look he always wears when he feels our baby.

"I can't wait to meet him or her," he whispers, squeezing me tighter and pressing a kiss to my temple.

"Me neither. Katherine and Stefi are so excited to be aunts. They're going to spoil whatever our baby is rotten. You do know that?"

"I do but it makes me so happy to see her so excited about something, you know. She practically beams whenever she touches your bump.

"She won't let go," I laugh. He raises his right hand to cup my left cheek and gently pulls my lips to his. I actually have goosebumps when he lets go. Never does he fail to make my knees weak.

"Come on, let's go home. I don't want you to catch a cold."

"Me neither." As soon as he's upright, he offers me his hand, helping me up. Putting two fingers in his mouth, he whistles loudly for Benji to follow along. In seconds, he's happily running down the beach towards us, jumping onto Damon as soon as he's close enough. Damon gives him love, takes my hand in his and then the three of us leisurely walk back to the house.

* * *

"Night," I whisper, covering my mouth quickly to cover my big yawn.

"I have some things to go over on this case for Nick. I'm going to be up for awhile yet." Nodding, I bend over to press a kiss to his lips before waddling into our bedroom. Once I clean up and change into my pajamas, I crawl under the covers, my eyes dropping closed as soon as my head hits the pillow.

 _The baby took us by surprise. I had been on birth control but I got sick and ended up spending nearly a week in the hospital with pneumonia and then another ten days of oral antibiotics after discharge which seemingly messed with our birth control. When I started having symptoms, we just thought I had come down with some sort of stomach bug. We were both stunned when the doctor told us that I was pregnant. After a few moments of stunned silence, Damon wrapped me into his arms, kissing and hugging me and whispering thank you. Although we hadn't planned to marry this soon, Damon said he wanted us to be married before the baby arrived. He's a bit old fashioned in some things. I happily agreed._

 _Today is my wedding day. We're getting married at the beach in front of our home. My dress is non traditional to say the least. It's white and wispy and free flowing. I loved it the moment I saw it. With our finances tight, neither of us could justify spending thousands of dollars on a dress. But when I saw this one, I knew it was right. I have a flower crown in my hair as do Bonnie, Stefanie and Katherine who are my bridesmaids. My mother is my maid of honor._

 _Dad is both giving me away and serving as Damon's best man with Ric, Jeremy and Nick as his groomsmen. Friends we've made along the way are here to share the day with us. Caroline has been an important part of Damon's life, giving him a place to stay when he was just a kid so he wanted her to be here. Her husband got home from Afghanistan not long ago so he's here, having also known Damon as teenager. Of course, Matt and his wife, Patti are also here to help us celebrate this most special of days._

 _As soon as the music starts, we begin the walk to the beach where my man is waiting for me. At my behest, he's wearing the stubbled look that I love. My man is hot but the stubble is my weakness. I love it when he tickles me or sends me flying through time and space when his face is between my legs. The burn caused by the stubble gives me shivers._

 _As soon as I reach him, he takes my hand and presses a kiss to my lips. With ours joined, we turn to face our dear friend, Matt who got himself a license to marry us. I didn't know at the time that Damon actually went to him on the sly, asking if he would do this. Being the wonderful man that he is, he agreed wholeheartedly._

 _Once the ceremony is over, we walk towards our house where we have food waiting. We enlisted our whole family to help us roast turkeys so it could be carved for sandwiches. Our wedding was really very simple, not extravagant by any means but it was perfect for the two of us. After the meal, Jeremy's band is providing the entertainment. We lit several bonfires on the beach to help with the lighting. I'll remember this day for as long as I live. It's been perfect in every way imaginable._

 _Late in the evening when I start to tire, Damon and I leave to spend our honeymoon night in a hotel. We left the next day to go to Disney World. We spent several days there by ourselves. With a few days left of our honeymoon, my parents, Katherine, Stefanie, Jeremy and his girlfriend, Rebekah joined us in Florida. A wonderful time was had by all._

I'm lost in my beautiful dream, waking up with a start when I feel the bed dip as Damon crawls into bed beside me.

"You startled me. What time is it anyway?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you. It's just a little after midnight. I dozed off so I decided that I should come to bed too." He leans over to give me a kiss. I melt inside every time he presses his lips to mine. When our mouths separate, he lays down, opening up his arms for me to settle in his embrace. With my raging hormones, I can't seem to get enough of my husband. Slowly I reach down, wrapping my hand around his length, stroking the tip with my thumb. Seconds later, he's fully erect giving me a shiver of my own. He raises his hips, shimmying out of his boxers while I continue torturing him with my hand. After giving him a lascivious wink, I crawl under the covers and take a swipe with my tongue, causing a needy growl to leave his lips. I love that I can do this for him and to him. In no time, his hand is laced in my hair as the two of us work together to give him what he needs.

Moments later, he comes with a grunt and growl, holding me to him while his body shudders and shakes in the rapture.

"My God, Elena, that mouth of yours never ceases to amaze me," he pants, his chest still heaving as he tries to recover from the orgasm that I've just given him. After pressing a kiss to the tip, I crawl back up his body, planting myself on him, flesh to flesh.

"I love you both so much," he whispers, pressing his hand against my protruding belly.

"And I love you." We share a look before I smack my lips against his. His kisses always, always make my skin prickle with desire. Carefully he rolls me onto my side before lifting one of my legs over his hip, opening me up for him. While his hand starts to stroke my pleasure center, he slides inside, stretching me deliciously while also sending a shiver up my spine.

"So good, Damon," I mumble, closing my eyes, in complete bliss as he moves inside of me. Taking his hand from my center, he reaches up to latch onto my breast, first teasing one nipple and then the other.

"Don't get me wrong, I love your breasts but there's so much more of them to love now. I'm going to enjoy this while it lasts," he whispers, continuing to fondle and kneed them. Just as I'm about to say something, he hits that spot with a well-aimed thrust causing a heady moan to leave my mouth.

"I love you so much, Elena," he whispers, his voice husky. After letting go of my breast, he takes one of my hands, linking our fingers and together we work on my clit till I spiral out of control, my bosom heaving in ecstasy as my body jerks and trembles and quivers under his magnificent assault. Nonsense spews from my mouth as he continues to thrust inside a few more times before he comes spectacularly, his own body quaking with intense pleasure. I love to watch his face when his own orgasm washes through him. He looks so free and unharmed by life when he surrenders to himself to the throes of passion. Our love burns hot like an inferno. Being with him is a tempest full of sound and fury yet also full of love and the promise of forever.

When I feel his body still, I pull his hand up to my mouth and press a kiss to the base of his thumb. After he pulls out, I turn over and snuggle in his arms. All is right with the world when we're like this. As soon as I feel his breathing even out, I close my own eyes, letting my fatigue pull me into a peaceful slumber.

* * *

Damon:

"It's a boy," I gush when I walk into the lounge where our family is waiting impatiently to find out the sex of our baby.

"Congratulations, Damon," my father in law says, pulling me into a big hug. I close my eyes when I feel him embrace me. Even though we don't share any DNA, he's always been my dad.

"How is she?" Miranda asks, reaching for a hug once Gray lets go of me.

"The nurses are helping her freshen up. Needless to say, she's exhausted."

When I feel a tug on my shirt, I let go of Miranda.

"Do you have a name yet?"

"Yes, Stefanie, we do. His name is Dominic Grayson to honor both of my fathers."

"I like that name."

"I like it too. Come here you," I tell her, wrapping her in my arms and dropping a kiss to the crown of her head.

"When can we see the baby, Damon?"

"I'll go see if she's ready for visitors. Is that okay with you, Miss Katherine?" She bobs her head up and down excitedly eliciting another big smile from me. After getting the okay from Elena, I go back to bring the family in to meet our son. My beautiful wife is nearly beaming, her eyes fixed on our boy in her arms. When we all pile into her room, she raises her eyes, quickly wiping away the happy tears. I walk over and press a kiss to her lips and her still sweat dampened hair, whispering I love you before taking our boy into my arms. As much as I never want to let him go, I place him in Miranda's arms.

"He's so beautiful, Elena."

"Thanks mom."

"Elena, can I hold him too?"

"Of course you can, Stefanie." When Miranda places him in my sister's arms, I feel tears starting to prick at the corners of my eyes. I'm so proud of the strides she's made in the last couple of years. She no longer a wallflower, she participates in school activities, joined the track and girl's basketball teams. I'm in awe of her strength.

"Hi Dominic. I'm your aunt Stefanie," she says softly, her eyes only on him.

"My turn," Katherine says, her arms defiantly crossed over her chest. With utmost care, Stef walks over and gently hands him over to Katherine. Miranda quickly walks over to stand beside her.

"You have to support his head, Katherine."

"I know that, mama." Raising her eyes, she gives her mom the side eye. I can't stop the chuckle that leaves my mouth. Finally after everyone has had their turn holding him, I take him in my arms, needing a turn to hold him myself. They all say goodnight, leaving the three of us alone. Needing something to drink, I walk the family outside to their car. After saying goodnight, I grab a soda from the vending machine and then go back to my little family. When I step inside the room, I walk over to the bed, smiling widely when I see my baby suckling at Elena's breast. She scoots over to make room for me to sit beside her on the bed. I wrap an arm around her, pulling her into my side. With my left hand, I caress Dominic's full head of downy soft hair.

"You done good, Mrs. Salvatore."

"I seem to recall having had a little help from a Mr. Salvatore."

"I love both of you so much. Thank you for not giving up on me when I had all but given up on myself and for being here with me now."

"Oh Damon, I never ever gave up hope of finding you again. Somehow it was inevitable that our paths would cross again." I pull her impossibly closer, dropping another kiss first to her crown and then to her lips. Unable to swallow back her yawn, she pulls away.

"You need to sleep baby. You've had a pretty busy forty hours or so."

"I am exhausted. Wake me when he wakes up?" she whispers, yawning widely again.

"There you go being bossy Elena again," I tease, raising my eyebrows at her playfully.

She responds with an amused smile and an elbow to the ribs. After giving me a kiss, she takes a moment to switch Dominic to the other breast before closing her eyes. Moments later, I feel her breathing even out, Dominic's suckling on her breast is the only sound that fills the room. Soon he lets go, his own baby blue eyes drifting into sleep too. I can't help but smile at the beautiful site the two of them make. Closing my own eyes, I have to thank the universe for giving me this woman and a life with her. It's a life that I could only imagine as fantasy before she walked into that stark cold jail cell. Giving her one more gentle squeeze, I feel my own fatigue beginning to weigh heavily. Not quite ready for the night to end yet, I stare out of the window to look at the stars twinkling in the night sky. When one shoots across my field of vision, a smile forms on my face because in this moment, I know that I'm the luckiest man on the face of the earth.

 _Fin_

* * *

 _There you have it. I'm simply in awe of all of you for making this story such a big success. I don't begin to know how to express my gratitude other than to say a massive thanks._

 _And a humungous thanks for my dear, dear sister, Eva. I love you my friend._

 _And thanks to Kate for the covers. She's very talented both in artistry and her writing ability. You know her as Florencia7. Her versions of DE are simply beautiful._

 _Chapter Title: 'I Don't Want to Miss a Thing' by Aerosmith._

 _I'm trying to expand my horizons as it were by writing in third person. 'Faded Coat of Blue' is my maiden effort. I have also posted the first chapter of 'The Dating Game', also written in third person. I did post the final chapter of 'Dig' a few days ago. I'll miss that Damon and Elena as I'll miss this one._ _'Nothing Left to Fear' and 'Turn the Page' are still in progress. TTP will start posting regularly now._

 _Eva and I are sharing ideas to write a series of short story period fics such as WW1, WW2, The American Revolutionary War etc._

 _Please remember to click that review button one final time for this story._

 _Be safe and have a phenomenal day. And now the covers of this story will close for the final time. Thank you all again for making 'Angels Fall' such a success. I have no words._


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